Behind Closed Doors
by BraceYourselvesForImpact
Summary: The adventures of SPR continue! And so does the romance.
1. File 1: The Truth of the Past :: 1

**Behind Closed Doors**

File 1: The Truth of the Past

* * *

><p>"Lighten up, you guys! It's a new year! Don't you have resolutions or something?" Mai inquired, bouncing up and down in excitement, the box in her arms dangerously unstable and close to falling.<p>

Ayako regarded her with a frustrated expression. Probably just tired from the lengthy argument she had with Bou-san the _entire _car ride. "I swear if you say 'new year, new me,' I'm going to have to strangle you."

Bou-san gave the younger of the women a strained smile. "You're in extremely good spirits this morning even despite the long car ride with Lin and Naru? Your new years must've been pretty good!" He hastily lifted one of the heavier boxes that Ayako was reaching for. The red-head priestess seemed to feel insulted by this action, but cooled her head and got a different one when she realized she was too tired to quarrel with him anymore.

"Keiko, Michiru, and I went to a firework show on new year's eve for the countdown. It was pretty cool. Plus, that new camera you got for me takes amazing pictures outside."

John came from the side of the car, loaded down with everyone's duffle bags and suit cases. They'd have to separate them later and find out whose was whose. "It's good to know you've been using your Christmas present, Mai."

They all headed inside the hotel together, catching an elevator to the top floor that was reserved entirely for their investigation.

"I'm really grateful you guys all chipped in to buy it for me. It must've been expensive."

Bou-san smiled, glancing at Mai over the box he was carrying. "It's your happiness that matters, not the price."

Once they reached the top floor, they shuffled out of the stuffy elevator and into a long, airy hallway. After reaching the base and their rooms at the end of the corridor, they scattered silently, getting to work on setting up equipment. After setting down everyone's personal luggage, John went down to get some more boxes that needed unpacking, passing Naru, the hotel owner, and Lin as he left.

"–room 512 is said to have the most activity. That includes hearing lullabies, a child's voice, and having the feeling of someone pushing them. Both of the deaths happened to women staying in that room as well. They both fell from the balcony during their stay," the balding hotel owner was saying as he followed Naru into the base.

Naru nodded and Lin continued writing down information on a note pad. "You said a child's voice. Is there anything specific the voice says?"

The older man sighed, rubbing his temple in thought. "I believe the witnesses claimed the voice was asking them, 'why,' and calling them mommy."

Naru also seemed lost in thought before he looked back at the owner. "That will be all, Hajime-san. We can begin our investigation now."

Hajime Shichiro bowed sincerely. When he straightened Mai could see tears of gratitude in his eyes. "Shibuya-san, thank you for doing this. This hotel was given to me by my father before he passed away. If I had to give up on this business, I don't know what I–" he stopped himself, his face regaining a calm composure. "Once again, thank you. I'm counting on you, SPR."

He caught Mai's eye and smiled, nodding.

Mai grinned after him as he left the base. What a sweet old man.

Naru chose that moment to swivel around, catching Mai in the middle of staring off into space. "Mai, tea."

Mai rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed that he was bossing her around so soon, but hopped to her task quickly. She was happy that she didn't have to go to a different room in order to make tea now that they had a new electric tea maker. It was a supposed 'joint gift' to her and Naru so that they could take it on cases and whatnot. Mai smiled and set to her tea making.

An hour and several arguments later, the base finally looked like it should and Mai and Bou-san were sent to set up the cameras while Ayako and John took down temperatures.

"Is this the angle you want?" Mai inquired over the walky-talky as Bou-san, who was much taller than herself, positioned the camera high up in one of the corners of room 512.

There was a moment of silence before Lin's static voice came through the device, "Can you turn it more towards the balcony?"

Mai watched as the monk followed suit. "Is that good?"

"Yeah. Naru also says he wants a camera somewhere in the bathroom. Apparently there have been claims that the tub fills up on its own." Lin's voice went out once again, leaving Mai and Bou-san in silence.

"What kind of ghost needs to take a bath?"

"Dirty ones!" Bou-san joked, holding his arms out as if he'd gotten the punch line to a joke, "You know, because spirits have to be cleansed…"

Mai gave him a look.

"Come on, that was a good one!" the monk exclaimed, upset at her sudden lack of enthusiasm.

Rolling her eyes, Mai continued into the small bathroom, opening the shower curtain to reveal the white ceramic tub. "Hey," Bou-san called, popping his head in, "I'm going to get that other camera. Find a good place to put it while I'm gone."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered under her breath, dismissing him nonchalantly as she looked up, considering where to position the camera. Should they put it where only the tub and sink would be visible? Or should they position it where the tub and the door can be seen?

Tough decision.

The door suddenly slammed closed, causing Mai to jump a bit. She held her breath as the tiled room became noticeably colder. She immediately reached for the door, but was not at all surprised when she found it locked. Mai brought the walky-talky to her mouth. "Lin, there's a situation in the bathroom in 512."

There was a short silence on the other end before the stoic man answered, "Bou-san is coming now."

The silver faucet handles turned with a long squeak, letting water fill the tub regardless of the fact that the drain plug was nowhere to be found. Mai sucked in a breath. Where was that monk? He should be here by now!

"Mai!"

Speak of the devil.

The doorknob jiggled, but still refused to budge. Bou-san's muffled voice sounded frantic. "Mai, the door won't open. I'm going to have to kick it open, okay? Make sure you're no where need the door!"

"I'm away from it!" she called over the sound of running water. And although getting farthest away from the door meant getting closer to the tub, Mai seemed stay calm by convincing herself that everything would stop once Bou-san broke down the door.

And it did just that. Bou-san slammed himself against the door, causing it to fly open with the force. At that moment the temperature of the room returned to normal and the waterworks stopped, tub draining.

Mai sighed shakily, thankful that the top of the toilet was down as she fell onto it.

Bou-san kneeled down, his legs obviously not wanting to hold him up either. He began to speak despite his own heavy breathing. "I'm sorry, Mai. I shouldn't have left you alone." He must've run all the way here from the base.

"Don't blame yourself. I would've insisted on staying here myself anyway."

Ayako and John were suddenly in the doorway. "What happened? Is everyone okay?" the red-head questioned, thermometer squeezed tightly in her shaking hands. She quickly inspected Bou-san who was catching his breath on the floor while John helped Mai to her feet.

"That damn ghost is already attacking Mai. The activity stopped once I got in the room, though."

"Mai, are you injured?" The gang looked up to find Naru in the threshold of the bathroom, his eyes trained closely on his brunette assistant. Mai blushed, averting her eyes from his hard gaze.

"N-No…just a little freaked out. I'm physically fine, though."

"Good. Once everyone is done with their tasks, I want you to report back to the base."

* * *

><p>Once Mai was done handing out cups of tea, she sat down on the queen sized bed with Ayako and Bou-san, sipping at her own cup. Naru nodded at Lin who then pulled up a window on the monitor of his laptop, surprising the rest of the team with Yasuhara's cheery face. "Hey guys!"<p>

"Yasuhara?" Mai said, confused.

"Hey, Mai! I heard you got in trouble _already_. You don't waste time, do you?" The college student inquired, laughing as Mai's expression screwed into one of anger. "Anyway, since I couldn't come along on the case myself due to classes, I have graciously given up my time to video chat with you guys!"

"What have you found so far, Yasuhara?" Naru wasted no time.

"Well, the only death that occurred in the hotel happened nearly 37 years ago. It was a young boy around the age of 12 named Toru. He fell from the top floor of the hotel." Mai covered her mouth, suddenly feeling very sick.

He was only twelve…

Yasuhara continued. "The case was looked into by police, but it was never established whether the incident was a suicide or a murder. The boy was often seen with bruises all over his body and there was speculation that his mother abused him, so really either way would've been believable. Investigators leaned toward the possibility of his mother being the culprit, but they could never really obtain any evidence."

Bou-san made a face. "Wait, I'm confused. If this 'incident' happened 37 years ago, then why is the activity only just starting to pick up?"

"After Toru died, the owner of the hotel kept the fifth floor off limits. Years later, it went under construction, which was never really finished due to the owner becoming ill. Once he passed away, his son, the current owner, took over for him and finished the construction. But only when he made it public to residents did the activity start up."

Naru lowered his head in thought and Lin continued writing down information. The rest of us sat there with dumb looks on our faces.

Yasuhara adjusted his glasses. "I can't really give you a legit answer as to why activity has picked up as of late, but my speculation is that it was his mom who killed him and he now targets women who stay in his room. That's why no one was attacked during the construction, because they were all men."

Naru nodded. "That's it?"

The college student sighed. "That was all I managed to dig up, yes."

"That will be all then," the stoic teenager concluded, walking out of the room as he made a call.

The rest of them bid goodbye to Yasuhara as the video chat ended. Mai fell back on the bed and rested her head on Ayako's lap. The miko ran her manicured nails through the brunette's hair absentmindedly. "How sad," the red-head murmured to herself, "He was only just a child."

* * *

><p><em>Mai found herself in a world of darkness. <em>

_Where am I? Ayako was just here…Where'd she go? _

_Then, glowing in the darkness was just the person she was looking for. From an aerial point of view, Mai could see Ayako in their room digging around in her duffle for clothes to change into. "Ayako!" the teen called out, but the older woman could not hear her._

_Why can't she hear me? I don't understand. I must be in a dream, but if I were in a dream…Naru would be here._

_Come one, Naru, help me out! Why am I seeing Ayako right now?_

_She watched as Ayako took of her shirt. A feeling of dread filled the pit of her stomach, and suddenly Mai understood what was going to happen. _

_Wake up, wake up, wake up, Mai! Ayako's in trouble! You have to do something! He's going after Ayako._

Mai's head shot up and she scrambled off of the bed in a hurry, nearly falling to the floor in the process. She did a quick look around the room. Naru and Lin were at the monitors talking in hushed tones, John was reading something on the couch, and Bou-san was with her on the bed listening to music.

Taking out one of his headphones, the monk looked at her with confusion. "Are you okay, Mai? Did you have a dream?"

"Where's Ayako?"

Bou-san straightened. He'd seemingly gathered all the information he needed to know what was going on by the frantic look in Mai's eyes. "She's in your room changing. Why? What's going on?" His voice had a dangerous edge to it. By now, they had gained the whole room's attention.

"Ayako's in trouble!"

* * *

><p>Okay, you guys. A new year, a new me, right? Haha.<p>

So I've decided that I'm going to stick to it this year and write and update as much as possible! For this fanfiction I was thinking of doing a continuous string of cases one after another. I was inspired by Haunting Life by mytruthaboutlife enough to start this. I'm stealing her way of formatting the story, but trust me when I say that all the cases will be original.

You should totally go read Haunting Life, by the way. Just so you know. Yeah.


	2. File 1: The Truth of the Past :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 1: The Truth of the Past

* * *

><p>"Ayako's in trouble!"<p>

Mai wasn't able to say much more before Bou-san was on his feet and out the door. She and John followed suit. Once they reached the room, which literally took less than two seconds due to the fact that the girl's room and the base were side by side, the monk didn't even bother trying the doorknob before bursting into the room.

Ayako was half naked on the ground, struggling against invisible hands that constricted tightly around her neck. Monk frantically chanted his usual incantation until the apparition disappeared.

They all rushed to her side as she coiled into a ball, coughing hysterically. Bou-san took her in his arms and brushed her hair away from her neck to examine the damage. It was pretty bad seeing as how the skin was already beginning to bruise.

Realizing their proximity and the fact that she was clad only in a bra and skirt, Ayako pushed the monk away while trying to cover her exposed torso. Her face burned so bright in embarrassment that it nearly matched the color of her fiery hair. "What are you doing? I'm half naked!"

"You were just attacked and _that's_ what you're worried about?"

"What do you mean? Of course I am!"

Mai sighed. And they pick now of all times to start fighting? "You guys wait outside while Ayako finishes changing. We'll all head to the base together afterwards."

After helping the priestess into a stable standing position, the two men left. Ayako released a breath she'd been holding and fell back onto her bed. Although she managed to control her breathing, Mai could see Ayako's chest visibly pumping from lingering adrenaline. "What…What was _that_?"

Mai honestly didn't know whether she was referring to the ghost or Bou-san.

* * *

><p>"I think we should put a camera in the girls' room."<p>

Mai coughed, choking on her freshly made tea. Wiping the dribble from her chin in embarrassment, she put her cup down on the bedside table and held her hand in the air, waving it around wildly as if to gain the room's attention. "Whoa, hold up, Bou-san! Let's not be hasty here. That's going a little far, don't you think?"

Naru rubbed his temples in contemplation.

Ayako, now dressed in a much comfier outfit that had nearly cost her life, nodded into her own teacup, redness tingeing her cheeks. "I'm in agreement with Mai. It's a violation of our privacy."

Bou-san slammed his fist down onto the coffee table resting before him, making John, who was sitting on the couch next to him, jump. "You two aren't safe even in your own room. What are we going to do if we wake up in the morning and find you dead because we had no way of knowing that something had happened?"

Mai twisted her hands together nervously. She really did not like where this was going. Naru and Lin watching her while she slept? What if she snored or did something extremely embarrassing? "I'm sure there's another way…"

But it seemed that Naru had already decided.

"If you don't like that idea, then you two are free to leave the hotel at any time." Naru's voice sent chills through Mai's core, causing goose bumps to form across her arms. She opened her mouth to argue again, but realized she'd just be repeating the very same words she'd just said.

She snapped. "This is ridiculous. There are plenty of other ways to deal with a situation like this, but _you_ don't care because you're not the one that has to deal with the inconvenience of your decision!" With that, she stood and stormed out of the room.

If only Masako were there, their argument would've been a lot stronger, Mai felt.

Ayako rose from the bed as well, chasing after the brunette. She couldn't let Mai get hurt like she had been. Despite the fact that he was probably angry at Mai right now, Naru would definitely 'bust a cap' in Ayako's ass if he found out that she was the one who had neglected to protect the girl.

The priestess followed Mai into their room, closing the door softly behind her. She watched as the brunette collapsed on their bed. A muffled moan escaped her lips as she turned over, looking at the red-head. "Why can't I ever think before I speak? I can't believe I just said that to him."

"Well, Naru really should hear that every once in a while. And who better to tell him but you?" Ayako said reassuringly.

"I'm always doing stupid, reckless things. And every time I do, it just seems as though Naru becomes significantly more insensitive towards me," Mai sighed dejectedly, "And it's not like I can just stop being…_rash_. It's my nature!" The brunette sat up, throwing her face in her hands.

Ayako laughed, patting the younger girl on the back. "Just have faith. It's a certainty at this moment that Naru likes you. It's probably just that he doesn't know how to show you. That's why he's always teasing you and treating you like you're stupid."

Mai glared at the red-headed miko, "I'm pretty sure that's _your_ exact situation."

Ayako was taken aback. "Excuse me?"

"Um, please. You totally like Bou-san, but don't know if he likes you back because he's always teasing and making fun of you. But what you don't understand is that it's just his way of showing that he has a major crush on you. And _he_ doesn't want to make a move, because he's afraid of ruining your 'friendship,'" Mai deadpanned, rolling her eyes.

The door opened to reveal Bou-san and John with several cameras in their arms. Ayako's mouth formed into a straight line as she dropped the subject. Mainly hoping to avoid the monk's eyes, the red-head turned away from the pair and focused her eyes on the door that led to the balcony. The sun was almost gone past the horizon, casting orange rays across the beach below the hotel.

Mai was shocked at all the camera's they were holding. "Exactly how many cameras are you going to put up? Wait, you're not going to put a camera in the bathroom, are you?" Mai's face turned crimson.

"Of course not, Mai!" John said with a reassuring smile on his face, washing away some of her worries. "We just wanted to make sure we get every angle in the room so that nothing can happen without us catching it on camera."

Mai sighed, watching as they set up. No more singing, no more dancing around in just a shirt and underwear, and no more perverted jokes or conversations about romance. This was going to be a long case.

* * *

><p>"Hey, whatcha doing?" Ayako asked, looking over Mai's shoulder as she towel dried her hair.<p>

"Just some homework," Mai shrugged, putting her pencil down and stretching.

Naru had told them to take the rest of the day off and that they would be starting exorcisms in the morning tomorrow. But no matter how hard she tried, Mai could not relax in the least knowing that the rest of her teammates were watching her every move and listening to her every word.

"'A body was discovered in the woods. The man had been missing for two days. The average temperature the past 48 hours was 50 degrees Fahrenheit. When the body was discovered, it was at peak rigor. Determine the time of death.'" Ayako looked down at Mai in shock. "What on earth kind of classes are you taking?"

Mai laughed. "This is for forensics. They started offering it last year so I decided to sign up. I thought it might come in handy one day, what with the nature of this job and all. Right now we're learning about rigor mortis and what else happens to the body once it dies."

Ayako pulled up a seat next to the brunette. "So…what are you planning on doing once you get out of high school?"

Mai leaned back, taking it into consideration. "I was hoping to go to college. Although, I really don't understand the application process and various other things, so I should probably look into that. And then the cost of getting that education…I'd probably have to keep this job and get several other part-time jobs. I honestly don't know if I'd be able to handle it."

Ayako nodded, lowering her head in thought.

"Well, I try not to think about it right now because it just seems to make me upset. But I'll eventually deal with it when I need to," she said, standing. "Anyhow, I'm going to go ahead and take my shower."

"Alright. I'm going to bed, so be careful in there."

After a washing her hair and body in a nice, hot shower, Mai plugged the tub and let it fill up with water. These western bathrooms were so much different than what she was used to. She had to do everything in one tub. It was so awkward.

As she soaked, Mai closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

_Before she knew it, the world was enveloped in black. And unlike her last dream, Naru was there waiting for her with his hand extended. "Mai," he called out to her, drawing her in like a magnet. She placed her hand in his, letting him lead her._

"_Naru," she said, waiting for him to give her some sort of hint that he was listening. But when he went on without saying anything, Mai continued anyway, "Naru, I have so many questions and…I think you might have the answers. Would you at least listen to them?"_

_Dream Naru paused, turning to face the brunette. Mai took this as an indication to go ahead and ask away, so she did. "Okay, so in my last dream, you weren't there. Why?"_

"_You were astral projecting. I cannot appear before you when you're spirit is out of your body."_

_She knew Naru had probably told her how to astral project countless times, but she'd have to ask again. "Okay, number two," she went on, "What's the deal with this spirit? He's only been attacking women who've stayed in his room up until this point. Is it because we're here that he's suddenly changed his tactics?"_

_Dream Naru sighed. "He's probably been attacking you, thinking that you are a threat to his existence as a spirit here on earth."_

_That hadn't really answer her question. "But, Naru–"_

_Naru squeezed her hand and put a finger to his lips, hushing her. He pulled her forward, and suddenly Mai realized that, instead of darkness surrounding her, they were now in room 512s bathroom. She anticipated what was to come when she could hear muffled screams coming from the other side of the thin wall._

_The door slammed open, catching the brunette by surprise. A frail woman stormed into the room, holding a young boy roughly by the arm. While she was screaming incoherent sentences, most likely drunk, the young boy was pleading for her to stop._

_This must be the boy, Toru. And that must be his mom…_

_His mother looked crazed, her eyes wide and wild, as she dragged him in. It was then that Mai realized the tub filled to the brink with water and what was about to happen. The brunette looked at Naru's face with a twinge of horror. "No…"_

_Naru nodded. His grip on Mai's hand tightened._

_The woman grabbed the back of her son's head, submerging him beneath the surface of the water. Toru struggled against his mother's hold, thrashing violently. The water in the tub sloshed in every direction, pooling on the white tiled floors below._

_Mai was bawling at this point, burying her face into her hands. No, she couldn't take it anymore. His screams were too much. They were piercing…piercing. It hurt too much…_

_Bang bang bang!_

Mai jolted up in the bathtub, looking around in confusion. That's right, it was just a dream. That poor boy…

She realized that someone was banging on the bathroom door violently. After hearing multiple, worried voices on the other side of the door, Mai wondered who it might be, if not Ayako. "I'm out, I'm out! Stop banging on the door!"

She hurried and stood, unplugging the drain when she realized that the water was ice cold. Exactly how long had she been in there?

Pulling on her pajamas, Mai swung open the door only to come face to face with two equally pissed off men. The brunette looked from Naru and Bou-san to Ayako, who was steadily pacing behind them. When the red-headed priestess saw her, she nearly pounced on the younger girl.

"Mai, thank god you're okay!" Ayako held her at arm's length, tears forming in her eyes, "Don't you _ever _scare me like that ever again!"

Mai didn't know what to do, so she just pat Ayako's back as the older woman pulled her into a crushing hug again. "I'm so confused. What happened?"

"Lin took notice that you went to take a shower around ten, but when he looked back again at midnight, the lights were still on," Bou-san said, his face fairly unpleasant, "Mai, you were in there for over two hours. What the hell were you doing in there?"

Recalling the dream, Mai shivered, "I must've fallen asleep."

"Do you realize how serious this is, Mai? People drown when they fall asleep taking a bath. Not to mention there is a spirit somewhere on the floor of this hotel bent on injuring you and Matsuzaki-san. That ghost easily could've killed you. You realize that, right?" Naru was angry. Scratch that–Naru was furious. His expression was screwed into a fierce scowl and his face held more color than normal. The edge in his voice sent shivers down Mai's spine.

For a year now, Mai had learned to read subtle hints of emotion in her boss's demeanor. She developed this skill with much pride, seeing as no other member of SPR aside from Lin could really tell what Naru was thinking. But at this moment, anyone could tell how upset with her he was, no skills needed.

Yeah, yeah, it was really stupid of her to fall asleep in the bath tub when a vengeful spirit was out to get them, but Mai just couldn't swallow the fact that Toru wanted to harm them. "Naru, I don't think Toru wants to kill us. I think he just wants to scare us off."

Naru didn't hesitate before he grabbed the younger brunette's arm and hauled her out of the room. "Takigawa, stay here with Matsuzaki-san until we get back."

Bou-san stared wide eyed at the closed door that sealed his fate.

Ayako looked down at her feet.

_Can someone say awkward?_

* * *

><p>Thank you for all of the reviews so far. Let's get a lot more soon! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, by the way. It seemed to take FOREVER.<p>

Anyhow, notes:

Mai's forensics class – Okay, so I'm not really knowledgeable on Japanese school and what kind of classes they can take or if they can even choose their own classes. I just added it in there because it's a class I'm taking at the moment and I thought it would be interesting to put little facts in there. And maybe to let Mai have a smart moment every once in a while.

Western bathroom – I'm sorry I didn't mention it the last chapter during the scene where Mai gets locked in the bathroom. I feel it would've been more appropriate to describe the bathrooms then, but I always forget that the Japanese have different stuffs. And yeah. You guys probably don't even really care.


	3. File 1: The Truth of the Past :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 1: The Truth of the Past

* * *

><p>Mai looked around the boy's room, finding it oddly neat. Naru probably chose this room since it was the nearest to the girls' where they could speak in private. He sat on what Mai assumed was John's bed and patted the space next to him. "Sit."<p>

And so Mai sat, albeit begrudgingly.

"Talk."

One order was enough, but now he was treating her like an animal. "Look, I am _not_ a dog, nor do I–"

"_Mai._"

Mai was about to retaliate again until she felt a pressure on her hand. She looked down, surprised to see Naru's hand gripping her own. The brunette was immediately silenced by his action, and looked up at him with wide, helpless eyes.

Naru was not messing around. Then again…Naru never messed around, did he? Mai took a deep breath before beginning, "Okay, in my dream…I was in room 512s bathroom. Toru came in…or was being dragged in by his mom, who was most likely drunk. She had the tub filled up with water and held his…"

She choked on her words. Naru looked at her with the softest eyes she'd ever witnessed come from his usually emotionally inept man. "She held his…?" he egged her on, the grip on her hand becoming tighter.

"…his head under water. She was drowning him. That's when I woke up." She looked away, feeling her eyes suddenly very heavy. "That was probably just one way Toru's mom abused him, though. How could a mother do that to her own son?"

Naru nodded. "You told me before that you think he doesn't want to hurt us, Mai. Is this your intuition speaking again?"

Mai blushed, slightly miffed by this comment. Was he doubting her cognitive abilities? "I think he just wants to show women how he felt when he was abused. As if he's showing his own mother. It's not like he wants to hurt other women, but he's trying to move on, and I think he knows he can't do that unless he confronts his mother."

He considered her for a moment with his deep, indigo eyes, until a ghost of a smile crossed his face. "Good work, Mai." He stood from John's bed, dropping Mai's hand.

Naru made his way to the door as Mai sat, taken aback by the charming smile.

He stopped at the door glancing over at her, his usual expression now evident. "Are you coming or not? I won't wait for you."

Way to ruin the mood, Naru. "Yeah, yeah."

* * *

><p>"So what was with that? Why'd Naru want to see you?" Ayako bounced up and down in excitement as Bou-san and the subject of their current conversation left the room. Mai sighed falling back onto the bed. She suddenly felt really tired.<p>

"I told him about my dream, of course," Mai said, not wanting to say anything on the camera that would give Naru more of a reason to make fun of her.

"I know _that_, but it doesn't explain why he wanted to see you _alone_," the read-headed said suggestively, laughing as a blush spread across Mai's cheeks.

The brunette huffed. "I don't know! I guess he wanted to be alone because he thought…I might feel awkward saying it around a lot of people?" Ayako raised an eyebrow, knowing that it was certainly not the case. A sly smirk tugged at the corners of the priestess' lips. "I said I don't know!"

Ayako chuckled, punching the younger of the two playfully on the arm.

Mai glowered. "Or maybe I should say something about a certain guy you're interested in, huh? He's pretty handsome. Maybe you should ask him out?"

Not liking where this was going, Ayako quickly changed the subject, "None of that tonight! Anyway, I'm off to bed. What about you?"

Mai sighed, pulling back the covers of their bed. After fluffing her pillows, she hopped under the covers with the priestess. "Goodnight, Ayako."

"Sweet dreams, Mai."

Mai snorted. "Yeah, fat chance."

* * *

><p>That morning, Mai awoke to the sound of a loud knock. She moaned and rolled over, clinging to the warmth that Ayako left behind as she stood to answer the door. The creek of the floorboards and the door opening seemed deafening in the silence.<p>

Mai opened her eyes, but her vision was too blurred to see anything. She could tell just from the hushed whispers at the door that it was Takigawa. He and Ayako sounded like they were…arguing? They exchanged a few more words, before the priestess promptly closed the door in his face.

It was deathly still for a moment before Ayako finally returned to the bed, sitting on the edge.

"What's up?" Mai inquired under her breath, snuggling up to the red-heads back.

"I'm sorry." Sighing, Ayako reached back and ruffled the younger's hair, "Did I wake you up?"

"No," Mai admitted, readjusting the covers on herself. It was a lot colder than yesterday had been. She could tell just by feeling the chilly air that the wooden floor was going to be freezing against her feet. "I woke up when I heard Bou-san knock. What did he want, anyway?"

The red-head didn't speak.

Something was wrong. Mai could tell by the way the priestess turned her head to avoid the brunette's gaze. She sat up, rubbing the older woman's back. "Hey, Ayako? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Bou-san just wanted to tell us that the hotel is serving lunch now. Are you hungry?"

"No, not really." Mai rubbed her eyes. "What's going on with Naru? I thought he wanted everyone up early today so that we could home before five? It's nearly 1 o'clock, why didn't anyone wake us up?" She stretched, standing up and gathering the clothes she was going to wear that day. She was right; the floor was rather cold.

Ayako remained silent.

Mai looked up, wondering why. "Ayako…?"

"Well," the priestess murmured under her breath before biting her lip in guilt, "Naru wanted you to be asleep during the exorcism. They're probably getting ready right now."

Mai looked at her in disbelief, a chuckle escaping her lips. "That's stupid, why would Naru want me to sleep through the exorcis–?" The brunette dropped her clothes on the ground. She whipped around to face Ayako who had her head in her hands, regretting that she had said anything in the first place. "Wait! Did you say exorcism?"

Ayako nodded into her hands.

"I thought we were going to cleanse him…? I mean, we found out _why_ he's haunting the building, right? That means we can find a way to cleanse Toru instead of exorcize him! But then why would Naru…?"

The red-headed priestess shrugged, falling back onto the bed. Naru owed her big time for dealing with this; maybe twenty or so dollars for a manicure. Being in the ghost hunting business really wore down on a girl's nails.

Mai stomped her foot on the cold floorboards, anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "I _cannot_ believe he would do this without consulting us!"

Ayako winced. "Actually, it was just you."

Mai gaped.

"Look, I'm sorry! What do you expect me to do? Do you think I have a choice in the matter? The only person that can ever really change his mind is…you. You know that. Naru will be Naru, and he'll find a way to do what he wants."

"Yeah?" Mai questioned with a challenging tone, suddenly raising her head with new found confidence. "Well, not if I can help it."

Ayako could've face-palmed at that moment. "Mai, remember yesterday when we were talking about your…rash nature? You know, how it's hard for you to think before you act? Well, I'm telling you right now that you're going to do something rash and I'm giving you time to thank about what you're going to–Mai…MAI! Come on, Mai. Get back here!"

Mai proceeded to leave the girls' room clad only in her pajamas.

The red-head reluctantly got up from the bed. "Well, shit."

* * *

><p>"Matsuzaki-san, I thought I told you not to let her leave your room?" Naru inquired, sighing. One could tell that he was angry by the tone of his voice, regardless of how indifferent his facial expressions remained. He and Lin looked like they had been discussing something important just before Mai had barged in and interrupted them.<p>

John was getting ready to exorcize, adjusting his robes and flipping to a specific page in his bible. He looked up, a brilliant smile on his face as he greeted the two girls good morning. Bou-san sat on the couch across the room, prayer beads clutched in his hands just in case something went wrong later on. He glanced over, but avoided the priestess's eyes, focusing mainly on Mai.

Ayako leaned against the threshold of room 512 in her tank top and pajama shorts, panting and out of breath. She laughed breathlessly, obviously offended. "Hey, bud. I did what I could; now it's your turn! Don't saddle everything on me!"

"Naru, I can't believe you!" Mai shouted, tears forming in her brown eyes. "What are you doing?"

Naru regarded her with unchanging eyes before he turned to the Australian priest and told him to begin the exorcism. "Mai, we don't have time for this. You do remember what time I want to be back in Tokyo by, correct?"

"Wait a second, John! Don't start yet!" Mai reached out desperately for John but Naru held out his arm, catching her around the waist. The brunette angrily pushed her boss' hand away, looking up at him with wet eyes, "Why didn't you tell me? We're a team, Naru, or do you not know the meaning of that word?"

"John, continue with the exorcism. Please ignore Mai."

The priest hesitated and looked at the brunette before going out on the balcony. Bou-san followed soon after.

Mai grabbed a fistful of Naru's shirt. "We found out why Toru's here. We can cleanse him! We don't have to do this, Naru! Why are you doing this?" Her legs began to give out. Naru followed her into a kneeling position on the floor.

"Mai, if it were possible to cleanse Toru's spirit, I wouldn't be doing this right now," Naru reasoned, his voice suddenly much softer than before. Mai's tears slowed as she thought about this. She hiccupped, looking at him for more of an answer. So he continued, "The only way Toru would be able to move on is if we bring his mother into the picture–"

"Why can't we?" Mai inquired obstinately, tugging on his clothes.

Naru sighed, giving up on trying to pry her hands from his wrinkled shirt. "Even if we could get in touch with her, bringing her into this building would be a great danger to her life, and possibly to this hotel as well. His mother, however, died in a car crash several years ago, so there's no chance of that happening anyway."

"But Naru, there must be some way. What about a hitogata like we used for the on the Doll House case? That should work, right?"

"Unfortunately, we lack the materials to make a hitogata."

"Well, I could try–"

"Listen to me, Mai," Naru started, the seriousness in his voice overwhelming. He held her shoulders and forced her look him in the eyes. "The possibility of cleansing Toru's spirit without putting the person who does so in severe danger is extremely low."

Mai looked over at John, who had just begun the exorcism.

"And I am not about to put your life in danger. Believe me, this is the safest option there is."

… No. There has to be another way.

Mai shot out of her boss' grip and onto the concrete terrace, latching onto the blonde priest. She was a mess with wrinkled pajamas, a bed-head, and tear-stained cheeks. "John, you have to stop! You have to! I can do this!"

John was immediately silenced. He took the brunette by her elbows, making sure she would stay upright. "Mai, are you okay?"

Bou-san took her from John, shaking her slightly as if to knock some sense into her. "What are you thinking, Mai? It's extremely dangerous out here."

Naru was suddenly at the threshold of the balcony, holding out his hand for her. He talked slow and carefully, like he was approaching a scared animal. "Mai, you can't be on the balcony right now." Ayako appeared behind him, her face strewn with worry.

Mai shook herself from the monk's arms, backing up against the metal railing. It was as if the world had stopped. Naru's eyes narrowed as he made his way out onto the balcony. He kept his distance, fearing that Mai would possibly try to back up further.

"Take my hand, Mai. Come back into the room."

Mai shook her head. Oh, she was going to regret this.

"Mai, I'm _not_ kidding," Naru said in a low voice, bringing his hand closer to the brunette. "Grab my hand."

A ghostly light pressure felt its way onto Mai's shoulders. It was cold, seeing as how she couldn't differentiate the sensation from the cool temperature outside. She turned around to see if it was the monk, only to realize that she was backed up against the railing on the balcony and that Bou-san was to her right along with John. Naru and Ayako were dead ahead of her, their eyes wide with panic.

And despite the fact that no one was behind her, the force on her shoulders continued to tug on her until it finally pulled her over the edge.

"_MAI!_"

* * *

><p>Damn, I don't know why but that took the longest time to write! Anyway, I'm starting on the next chapter immediately. Don't be surprised if it's rather short, because there's not much left of this case. I actually thought I'd finish it in this chapter, but I managed to drag it out. I just didn't want this case to be three chapters long. That's kind of short, don't you think? But then again, four chapters isn't that much longer…<p>

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Many thanks for the awesome reviews and keep on keeping on!


	4. File 1: The Truth of the Past :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 1: The Truth of the Past

* * *

><p><em>Mai felt like her skull was splitting.<em>

_Those hands…those were the last thing she could remember before everything faded into blackness. Whatever happened, Naru must be beyond pissed at her. And Ayako, Bou-san, and John were probably worried sick about her. _

_No! This was not the time to worry about how everyone else was reacting._

_What had happened to her, anyway? Had she been knocked unconscious? It couldn't be a dream; Naru wasn't present, after all. But then again, she's had dreams without Naru in them. Or she could be astral projecting…though all she could really see was endless darkness._

_Or maybe she had she fallen over the railing? Did that mean she was dead?_

_Mai's heart plummeted. _

"_I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." The voice had a familiar ring as it echoed in the abyss._

_The brunette glanced around, looking for the source of the voice. That's when she found Toru several feet away from her. The blackness surrounding him seemed overwhelming to his small boyish figure. Mai ran over, kneeling before him._

"_Toru, it's you! You're okay!" Mai's heart leapt into her throat as she hugged the ghostly apparition. If Toru was here, that meant that they hadn't exorcized him yet!_

_Wait…if she's here it must mean she's dead…Did that mean she was going to haunt the hotel? But…it's not like she held any malice towards Toru, even though he was probably what caused her death. She should be like the other two girls who died in the hotel._

_Mai wished she could understand what was going on. Naru would be able to explain it to her if he were there..._

_If the SPR team exorcized Toru, Mai would be stuck here all alone, possibly forever. The brunette suddenly felt the most unbearable pain in her heart. This is what spirits must feel: eternal loneliness. _

_Maybe that's why they made so much commotion sometimes. That way, they could get someone to come and exorcize or cleanse them: to end the pain of being invisible and alone._

_Her eyes became moist as she hugged the small boy tighter. "It's okay, Toru. It's okay, I'm here now."_

_The boy pushed her away. "But I–I hurt you! All of your friends are mad at me! They want me to go away!" He sniffed, rubbing his eyes even before the tears could fall down his red cheeks._

_Mai bit her lip. "I'm not mad at you, Toru. I know you didn't mean to. I know you're sorry. You just want someone to love you like your mother should've. Besides, what's done is done."_

_Toru looked up at her with wide, brown orbs._

"_Now I want you to confront your mother."_

* * *

><p>Before he'd even realized it, Naru was leaning over the metal railing holding an unconscious Mai by the ankle.<p>

He could guess about how much she weighed – probably somewhere around 54 kg. After all, he's carried her multiple times in the past. She wasn't too heavy for him; just right, actually. And 54 kg was supposedly the perfect weight for healthy teenage females.

But now, the weight of her life was being added to that of her unconscious body, making her seem all the more heavy. His hand became clammy and Mai slipped a bit.

Bou-san rushed to his side, grabbing the teenager's calf in a tight hold. The monk began to haul her over the railing, and suddenly Naru felt useless.

Once they had pulled the brunette up for the most part was when he saw it. The tips of Mai's hair were dyed red with what Naru assumed was blood. The back of her head had probably connected with the bottom edge of the balcony when he caught her by the ankle.

"Lin," he called into the room, trying to obtain his assistant's attention. He kept his voice low as if to conceal his nervousness. "I need you to call 1-1-9 immediately."

No more than a second later was the onmyoji talking in hushed tones on his cell phone.

Once Mai was up and over the railing , Bou-san carried her inside and laid the teenager on the couch, making sure she was in a position in which Ayako could tend to her wounds. John came back after a minute with the first-aid kit. And so the work began.

Naru whipped his phone out of his pocket and decided to contact the hotel owner, seeing as how Lin was still giving directions over the phone. He might want to know that an ambulance was going to be arriving at his hotel and causing a commotion among his occupants.

Meanwhile, the indigo-eyed man kept his eyes focused on Mai the whole time.

How could he let this happen?

* * *

><p>"<em>W-What?" Toru inquired with wide eyes.<em>

_Mai smiled sympathetically, patting him on the shoulder. "I think you know that you need to talk to your mother in order for you to pass on. And since you can't really get in touch with her, just pretend I'm your mother!"_

_This suggestion only seemed to bring more tears to Toru's eyes. Mai choked on her own spit. She hadn't anticipated a reaction like this._

"_But you're so nice! How can I do that to you?"_

_Well, I'm already dead, Mai thought regretfully. "I'm doing this because I want to. I want to help you. But I need your cooperation, okay? It'll be easy, I promise," she said reassuringly, readjusting herself in front of him. _

"_I want you to close your eyes and take deep breaths in and out, okay?" she instructed. "Now just believe that I'm your mother and say exactly to me what you would to her."_

_Toru sat for a moment, unmoving. He opened his eyes and sighed, looking away. He was giving up. "I-I can't do it. No matter what, I just…I can't think of you as her." _

_The brunette teenager rested her hands on his shoulders, giving them a quick squeeze. "Believing is a very powerful thing. I need you to believe for me, okay?" she reassured with a smile. She knew he'd be able to do it. It might take a couple of tries, but she knew he could._

_Toru seemed to settle down at her encouraging words. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes again. There was a long silence before he finally spoke. "You're the worst cook. You smoke and drink so you always smell bad. You never told me you loved me – not that I actually remembered. You never kissed me. You abused me. I'm glad you're not around anymore. All you were was a waste of space and air."_

_Mai's breath caught when she saw the small figure begin to glow. "You're almost there, Toru…!"_

_Toru's voice began to rise as he got into the act. "I hate you so much! I thought about killing you constantly. I also thought about killing myself sometimes. But," he paused, bravely whipping his tears away, "I never could because, regardless of all the awful things you did to me, I loved…and still love you. And I'm content admitting that now."_

_He opened his eyes and looked up at Mai with a smile, glowing brightly. "It's all thanks to you. You're friends are lucky to have you."_

_And with those words he faded out of Mai's sight, leaving her alone in the darkness. He had finally passed on! She had done it all on her own. It's only too bad she had to pay with her life… Maybe Naru would be proud of her? No, he'd probably call her stupid for risking her life. _

_Mai closed her eyes, much too tired to think. Her head was suddenly aching in extreme pain._

"_What I would do for some Advil."_

* * *

><p>Naru sat by Mai's bed side. He'd been there four hours – days, even. He couldn't remember much except for the fact that the steady beeping of Mai's heart monitor had been lulling him into shallow, dreamless periods of unconsciousness for the past day or so.<p>

He needed some sleep…and preferably a shower. Some tea would be nice, too.

But leaving Mai's side wasn't an option. Not right now at least. What if she woke up when he was gone and there was no one there for her? Knowing his luck, that would end up happening.

He yawned, leaning forward in the uncomfortable plastic chair that the hospital staff had been kind enough to provide for him. A small squeak sounded. Naru turned around to see John's smiling face in the doorway. "How are you holding out, Naru?" he whispered carefully, making sure not to wake the peacefully sleeping girl.

The younger of the two stood without a word, taking a greatly needed stretch.

The priest continued. "I'll take over for you. I think you should take a well deserved rest. And I'll notify you if anything about Mai's condition changes." Naru glanced hesitantly at the teenage girl whose pallid skin nearly matched the sterile white sheets. Indigo eyes traveled over to John and he finally gave in. Naru trusted John to do as he said.

He gave a curt nod to the blonde Australian before sparing one more look at his unconscious assistant and exiting. The rest of the team was sitting patiently in the hallway just outside Mai's room. Ayako had fallen asleep on Bou-san shoulder; the monk himself was nearly about to pass out. Lin was across the hallway, typing softly on his laptop.

And Masako – what a surprise it had been when she stopped the shooting of movie to come visit Mai in the hospital once she'd gotten the call – she was seated next to Lin, her head buried in her hands. Despite the fact that she hadn't worked on the case with them, which wasn't even that long in the first place, Masako looked dead tired.

Damn, he could really use some of Mai's tea right about now.

Not even a minute after Naru had left did John burst from Mai's room like a bat out of hell. "Naru, she's waking up!" This had gained Bou-san's attention, also waking Ayako from her embarrassing slumber on his shoulder. Masako was suddenly alert, sitting upright in the chair next to Lin whose typing had ceased.

Naru, who had been about to go get something to eat from the hospital's cafeteria (no matter how disgusting their food was, one can only go for so long without sustenance), whipped around in John's direction, pushing past him and entering Mai's room again.

_Of. Fucking. Course. _As soon as he leaves her side she decides it's time to wake up.

The rest of the team excluding Lin gathered at the doorway.

Naru looked at her for a while. She was shifting under the white blankets that nearly matched her skin in what Naru assumed was an attempt to sit up. He finally walked over to her and pushed her firmly against the bed.

"Don't move around."

Her head reared in his direction so fast, Naru was sure she would have whiplash. Had she not heard them come in? Mai blinked up at him with those wide brown eyes. It was as if she was looking at him for the first time.

Naru suddenly felt his heart settle in the bottom of his stomach. She would remember him, right? After all, she did have some head trauma…She couldn't have possibly–

Oh, he was going to be sick.

"Naru?" she whispered, as if answering her prayers. So she _hadn't _lost her memory.

He sat down in the uncomfortable plastic hospital chair once again, pulling it closer to the bed. He observed Mai as she looked around the sterile hospital in confusion. Her eyes wandered from the medical equipment she was hooked up to, to the rest of the team, and finally rested on Naru.

"Where am I? Why are you guys all here?" she inquired, her voice cracking. Mai was probably so used to talking all the time, being silent for more than a day must've rusted her voice box.

Mai obviously couldn't use her common sense if she had to ask where she was.

"You're in a hospital. We're here because, whether you believe it or not, there are some people who care about your safety even if _you_ don't," he said. He had hidden it, but Naru knew himself how fearful he'd been for the sake of his assistant. Even now, she was acting fairly strange…for herself, at least.

As if to prove his point, Mai remained silent. If this were a normal, everyday situation, she probably would've blown a fuse had he said that. But she just looked at him without a word, her attention focused intensely on her boss's face (who, not to mention, was beginning to feel very uncomfortable under her gaze).

That's when it happened – she hiccupped once, twice. The tears came pouring down her cheeks in waterfalls. Mai hid her face from view.

Jesus. Naru was just not doing anything right today, was he?

Ayako couldn't contain herself anymore. She ran over to Mai's side, holding the girl tightly within her arms. "Naru, you made her cry!"

Mai shook her head.

Bou-san finally approached. He ruffled Mai's hair, managing to be as gentle as possible due to her head injury. "Then, what is it? Does your head hurt? Should we got get a doctor? No? You're hungry?" Mai just continued to shake her head and wail incoherently into the red-headed miko's shoulder.

When she finally calmed down, they managed to make out of few words in her banter. "I-I thought I was dead! It was dark and scary and Toru was there, so I th-thought I was dead!"

Ayako held her tighter, rubbing her back methodically. Mai relaxed in her arms, taking deep breaths. "I helped him pass on. But then he left me alone in the darkness and I thought I was going to be there forever."

Masako soon joined in with Ayako and Bou-san, doing the unexpected and pulling Mai into a brief embrace. "You're alright now. We won't leave you alone forever."

This only brought more tears to the grateful teen's brown orbs. The moment was ruined, however, when the doctors came into the room and rushed everybody out so that they could check up on Mai. Afterwards, Naru told the rest of the team that he would like to have a moment alone with his assistant.

He entered the white hospital room and closed the door behind him. Mai glanced at him apprehensively, hiding herself beneath the bed sheets. "Please don't yell at me."

Naru sighed. He was much too exhausted to argue with her. "No one's going to yell at you, Mai." His voice softened when he said her name. Just minutes earlier there was little hope that she was going to wake up again, let alone be able to speak or move. Now he was right in front her, staring into those big brown eyes.

Mai seemed to ease up at his words. "Naru, I–"

Naru cleared his throat before she could continue. "Don't speak. I said I wasn't going to yell, but that doesn't mean I don't have a lecture all planned out for you. "

The brunette cringed, lowering herself further underneath the covers.

"Now, just because you successfully cleansed Toru's spirit on your own–"

This was going to be a _long _day.

* * *

><p>Yay! I finally finished! I hope I ended it okay and that it wasn't too boring. Anyway, as of right now I'm working on the next case, and I don't know about you, but I love old fashioned Japanese villages.<p>

_File 2: The White River_


	5. File 2: The White River :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 2: The White River

* * *

><p>Mai's heart raced as the van slowed to a stop in front of an aged building with a sign just above the main entrance reading Hatago Shirayama Hotel. Two figures approached the SPR vehicle, a man and women around their forties, it seemed like. These two must be the clientele, Mai assumed. She hadn't met them seeing as Naru accepted their case over email.<p>

Naru had also been very quiet about the details of the case, telling his brunette assistant nothing more than the fact that it had to do with a haunted shrine five hours away. Mai wondered what had interested him about the case, seeing as it would just be a hassle for them to travel so far only to exorcize a shrine.

Little had Mai known that Naru would be taking them to an authentic old-fashioned village called Shirakawa-go.

The rustic scenery just outside of the window made Mai restless as her boss slowly exited the van to meet the couple. She wanted nothing more than to be outside after a five hour drive being sandwiched between Lin and Naru. Nudging the raven haired teenager as if to speed up the process, Mai found that it only made him pause to look at her with a raised eyebrow (as if challenging her to do it again) and move deliberately slower.

She huffed at him childishly, realizing that taking Lin's side out would've been the faster approach. But by the time this thought passed, Naru was already out of the van.

The couple stepped forward to meet Naru just as Mai was hopping onto the dirt road. The woman was petite, possibly only a bit taller than the brunette herself. Her dark hair had been pulled back into a lose bun, but a few strands fell from their hold, framing her heart-shaped face. Not to mention she looked a shockingly lot like an older version of Masako in her blue kimono. She seemed friendly enough.

Her husband, or who Mai assumed was her husband, however, did not look as pleasant as the woman at his side. He, unlike his wife, was not wearing traditional clothes, but a pair of dirty jeans and a sweat-stained work shirt. His arms were folded and his face was screwed into a look of contempt. Mai could tell he was going to be a stubborn one.

The small woman gave the three a gracious smile, extending her hand to Lin. "It's good to finally meet you! I'm Satomi, the one who messaged you, and this is my husband Naoki. Thank you so much for coming."

Satomi was momentarily stunned when Naru was the one to reach out and shake her hand. "My name is Kazuya Shibuya, head of Shibuya Psychic Research. These are my assistants, Mai Taniyama and Lin Koujo. Our other investigators will be arriving tomorrow."

Reassured by Naru's cold business-like talk that they were not there to play around, Satomi smiled and nodded, shaking his hand with renewed vigor. Her husband huffed, holding his arms tighter to his chest.

"Now if you'll follow me, I'll show you to your rooms. After that, I can give you a tour of the village's hot spots and show you where the shrine is."

* * *

><p>Mai sighed as she looked out into the forest consisting of nothing more than dead trees. Satomi-san had told them that this was one of the main hotspots. Apparently, random fires would pop up whenever kids were playing in the area, and when specialists would come to the village to examine where or how the flames originated there was no trace of them being started by…a human.<p>

But how on earth were they supposed to set up the camera? There was such a vast area to cover, she didn't know where they would possibly start. And with little kids running all over this village, surely one of them would try to mess with their equipment in some sort of way.

"Naru, I don't think setting up our camera here is a good idea," Mai started, looking back at her boss who was attempting to get the stand for the device ready.

As if reading her thoughts, the teenager replied, "The forest is off limits to the villagers, as are the rest of the areas with abundant activity. That's not to say of course that no one's going to wander in here and get themselves in trouble." He set the metal stand onto the ground and took the battery operated thermal camera from his assistant, hooking them up with speed and dexterity Mai could never hope to have. "But in the event that something does, we have these."

"You could've told me we were setting up the camera here…" She murmured under her breath.

Naru raised an eyebrow. "Why would I have led you here if I wanted the camera set up somewhere else?"

Offended, Mai folded her arms and looked off into the barren forest as Naru contacted Lin over the two-way radio to decide on the best angle for the camera. "I don't see why we're using a thermal imaging camera as opposed to a night-vision one."

When she didn't receive a smart-aleck reply, much less a response, Mai turned back to see that the man had abandoned the camera and was already walking off into the forest without her. "Does anyone _ever_ listen to me?" She didn't see the wide smirk on her boss's smug face as she trailed behind him.

After following the narrow dirt trail for what seemed like forever, the two finally reached a large clearing with a lake in the dead center of it. Naru immediately got to work on the tripod as Mai waited to give him one of the cameras tucked safely in her arms. "Naru, I really don't like the idea of putting cameras outside…what if it starts raining or something?"

Naru sighed and motioned for her to give him camera, which she did, although reluctantly. "The weather forecast has called for beautiful weather over the next couple of days. Even if it did rain, the cameras are insured. Or did you forget?"

Mai could hear a hint of amusement in his voice as she recalled the memory. That's right…Why _had_ he forced her to work for him if his cameras had insurance? Her heartbeat sped up.

Wait! She had forgotten that Lin had been injured because of her. Yeah, that was probably why…

Mai's head dropped in disappointment. She managed to glare weakly at the back of her boss's head. "That's not the point and you know it. If our cameras get destroyed by rain or little kids running around, it'll slow down our investigation."

Mai knew that, despite how excited she was about being in Shirakawa-go village, she wanted to leave as soon as possible. The whole place put her on edge, _especially_ the forest. In fact, for the first time in a while, Mai wanted to have nothing to do with this case.

Naru looked at her pointedly as he finished setting up the second camera. "Mai, is something wrong?"

The poorly masked concern in his voice surprised the brunette. "I just…I've been in a mood since we got here."

Mai gathered by the look on his face that he had assumed she was just on her monthly cycle. Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment and shock as she punched his arm lightly. "I-I'm not on my period, if that's what you're thinking."

What an awkward thing to say to your boss.

The narcissistic teen turned away so that his face was not visible to her, but Mai could tell that he was just as uncomfortable as she was. "I haven't said anything."

Mai pouted at his sudden withdrawn comment, although she had to admit that if she were in his position she'd have taken the statement much worse. "You think you're hard to read, but your thoughts are written all over your face," she said, running to catch up to him as he began walking on the dirt path that lead back out of the forest.

"And when have you ever heard me say that I think I'm hard to read?"

"Okay, so maybe you haven't said it, but you totally think it."

"That's a very presumptuous thing to say."

"Why are you always so impossib–"

_Leave!_

Mai's foot suddenly caught a mangled root spread across the narrow pathway, sending the teenager to the ground with a strangled cry. A metal object burrowed into her midsection, cracking underneath her as she came in contact with hard dirt. She could hear the scuff of Naru's black shoes halt in the deafening silence.

Mai could only think one thing as she lifted herself on her elbows.

'_Oh. Shit._'

She looked beneath her only to find the camera she had been holding broken into multiple pieces. "Naru," Mai moaned out in desperation, calling him over despite the fact that he was already rushing in her direction. Salty tears clouded her vision. "T-The camera!"

Naru kneeled at her side; however, his main focus was not on the crushed camera, but his injured assistant. He inspected her skinned, bleeding knees and raw forearms with a sigh. "Do you think you'll be able to walk, Mai?"

Instead of giving her boss an answer, she just continued to cry. Naru winced at the harsh sound, rubbing her shoulder in what he hoped was a soothing manner. "Are you crying because it hurts or because you broke the camera?"

She just nodded, covering her face with her scraped hands. Naru could not be sure whether his assistant really was on her period or if there was something supernatural messing with her emotions. "There's no use crying over spilt milk. As for your injuries, the sooner we get back to the hotel, the sooner we can bandage you up and give you some pain medicine."

This seemed to calm her a bit. Piercing wails soon gave away to soft whimpers and hiccups. Naru helped support her as they exited the forest and 'hobbled' over to the thankfully nearby hotel, leaving the broken machine behind.

Lin seemed almost shocked as Naru entered the room with a red-faced, sobbing Mai on his shoulder. The stoic onmyoji hurriedly reached for the first-aid kit, setting it on the dingy coffee table in front of the couch. Afterwards, he took a few napkins with the hotel's logo that were supplied in each room, running it under the bathroom sink and tossing it to his boss.

Yeah, Lin knew the drill.

Naru sat the brunette on the couch, immediately dabbing the wet napkin on her knees. Mai winced in pain, trying to move away from him. He glared up at her, wrapping his long fingers around her calf to keep from moving. "Lin, I'm going to need a few more of those napkins."

Lin grabbed a handful and set them on the small table. "Was this…supernatural?" he inquired to his boss silently.

Naru's eyes narrowed as they landed on a bruise forming around Mai's ankle. He held her leg up for Lin to inspect, thankful that she was wearing shorts instead of a skirt. "I don't think this was done by a root. Mai, was this here before we went out?"

Mai shook her head. There was a moment of thoughtful silence before Mai gasped. "There was a voice! I remember, right before I tripped I heard a woman's voice. She was telling me, o-or us, to leave."

Naru heave a sigh, rubbing his temples. "You didn't feel the need to tell me this while we were still in the forest?"

Mai's mouth fell open. "Well, _sorry _I was busy–"

"If this is about the camera, I already told you–"

"Who said this was about the camera?"

"Mai, my hearing is perfectly fine. There really is no need to yell."

"I'm not yelling! My voice is perfectly level with your–!"

Lin coughed into his hand, bringing their argument to a halt. Mai huffed in frustration, raising her leg over Naru's head and setting it down on the narrow space between him and the back of the couch. Naru redirected his gaze away from Lin and back onto Mai. He started working on her bloody palms, cleaning them off with the still damp napkin in his hands.

"It's unfortunate that Matsuzaki-san isn't here to tend to this."

Mai hummed silently in agreement, blatantly looking in every direction except for her boss's.

Lin shook his head at the awkward pair.

* * *

><p>Soooooo, yeah. It's been a while, but I decided to do this for valentine's day. ANOTHER YEAR SINGLE!<p>

...(crickets)...

_God_, what am I doing with my life?


	6. File 2: The White River :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 2: The White River

* * *

><p>"What on earth happened to you, Mai?" Ayako inquired, clearly aghast by the bandaged girl lying across the hotel room's couch. Bou-san and Yasuhara burst into the room, heaving along with them a multitude of what looked like Ayako's belongings.<p>

"You guys are late!" Mai said as she sat up, laying her text book on the coffee table. "Naru got tired of waiting for you so he took Lin and they started getting temperatures down. I hurt my ankle so Naru's forcing me to rest up. I think he wanted you to take a look at it, Ayako."

Ayako gave a heavy sigh, plopping down next to the teenager. "You two put away the rest of the stuff while I tend to Mai."

Bou-san opened his mouth to protest, also miffed that he hadn't even gotten a word in to his favorite brunette. "But we don't even –"

"Oh, lookie, here are the keys to the rooms. Have fun," Ayako said, quickly cutting the monk short. She snatched the two silver objects conveniently lying next to Mai's history book and chucked them in their general direction. Bou-san caught one, and the other one was picked up off of the floor by Yasuhara. The college student huffed before dragging the monk from the room, tugging the luggage along with them.

Mai looked at the red-headed priestess in shock and even more confusion. She laughed slightly as Ayako began to unravel the bandage around her ankle. "What was _that_?"

"I just – _ugh_, I don't know. He's been acting so weird lately."

"Well, it looks like _you're_ the one acting strange…"

Ayako sent the younger girl a glare. "And it's only me – he acts fine around anybody and everybody else. I mean, ever since the last case he's been all awkward and frustrated. We didn't even argue on the car ride here."

"Now _that's _pretty weird," Mai said with suspicion, wincing slightly as the priestess tested the bruised ankle, pushing it in different directions. "You know, I think he might have overheard my comment on the previous case about you having a crush on someone, but he doesn't think it's him. That would explain everything."

Ayako frowned, but the blush on her face was enough to let Mai know that she actually liked the idea of Bou-san being jealous. "Would you be quiet?" she said nervously, not knowing if, with her bad luck, someone would walk in at that moment and overhear them. She twisted Mai's ankle.

"Ow, ow, ow!" The brunette finally slapped Ayako's probing hands away, moving so that she could not get them on her foot again. "You didn't have to hurt me to shut me up, you know."

The priestess finally reverted back into doctor mode. "Well, looks like a grade 1 sprained ankle, meaning you're out of commission for a while. Maybe a week or two."

"Are you kidding me?"

There was a light knock on the door, cutting off the older woman's reply. The door opened to reveal the petite Satomi in a pale pink kimono. "Mai, dear, how are you doing? Oh, a new face!"

Mai's frown formed into a smile at the sound of the voice. "Satomi-san! I'm doing a lot better, thanks. You were a big help yesterday. By the way, this is another one of SPR's members–"

"Matsuzaki, Ayako," the red-head introduced herself, standing and extending a hand to the older-looking woman, "Priestess and accomplished doctor at your service."

Satomi covered a smile behind her available hand, the other one accepting Ayako's hand. "So nice to finally meet you, Matsuzaki-san. How convenient the arrival of a doctor."

"Well, I didn't even think to bring the necessary materials for the occasion of a sprained ankle. If _someone _had called me prior to this morning, I would have," Ayako said, her voice strained as her gaze shifted over to the small brunette still sitting on the couch.

Mai felt like crying. Not just because of the shooting pain in her leg, but also because she knew that Ayako would make it known to Naru her condition and that _he_ would make it known to _her_ that she would not be moving at all for the next couple of days without his permission.

Satomi seemed to light up with an idea, however. "If its materials you need, I believe our village doctor, Hatori-san, shouldn't mind providing them for you."

Mai bounced excitedly after taking a moment for the words to sink in. "Really? That would be awesome!"

Ayako considered this, nodding. "Alright, then. Where exactly is his place located?"

"About a mile from here."

Ayako flinched. Mai was shocked at her reaction, but realized soon after why she would have such a response. "Oh _no_. No, no, no. I am not walking a mile in _these_ shoes."

Satomi looked at Mai and shrugged helplessly, sorry that she couldn't help much. But Mai wasn't ready to give up just yet. "W-Well, we could always…ask Bou-san to drive us!"

"You think I want to get in the car with that guy after I just got out? No thank you!"

"Well, I would drive you, but I really shouldn't leave the front desk for too long," Satomi stated apologetically, but then smiled. "Perhaps, if I gave you my car keys and a map, you'd promise to return safely?"

"Of course!" Mai chimed before Ayako had the chance to reconsider the generous offer, which she was surely about to. She had a thought, however, "Wait, Ayako, can you even drive?"

Offended by the question, the priestess crossed her arms. "What do you take me for, an idiot? Of course I can drive! I may not own a car, but that's because I have the convenience of a personal driver. I can _definitely _drive, though; just as good as Takigawa."

And she did drive as good as the monk, maybe even better (safer, at least). Or perhaps that was because she refused to go no more than 25mph on the narrow dirt road and only had to turn twice to get to their destination? Then again, even Bou-san could make driving on the small, simple seem like a death wish.

The wind felt good through Mai's hair and she had been glad to finally get out of the stuffy hotel room. Ayako would've have made her stay, if Mai had not begged to let her come along for the ride. After hours of being cooped up in the same place with the same two monotonous people, she had to get out. A girl could only handle so much silence.

"Looks like this is it," Ayako said with a nod as she managed to land carefully on the dirt road in her higher than usual heals. Mai wondered why two innkeepers would need such a large truck, but nothing seemed to come to mind.

After the older woman helped her down from the large vehicle, they entered the clinic together. The inside was dull and dusty, not to mention void of human presence, as if no one had entered the building in years. She doubted anyone _had_…

Annoyed at the lack of assistance she was hoping or looking for, Ayako rang the silver bell on the front desk. "Hello? Is anybody here? I'm looking for…" the priestess had to rack her brain for the name, "Hatori-san?"

Mai responded to the silence with a sigh. "Maybe he's not here? Man, I was so excit–"

A fit of coughing came from the back room, followed by the ear-splitting sound of glass shattering, both of which were barely muffled by the sliding paper door. Mai and Ayako both jumped in response, too stunned to move as the door then slammed open.

"The voice of a woman," came the gruff voice, "It's been such a long time since I've heard it." The man – they presumed him to be Hatori-san – looked as if he hadn't taken a shower in days, a hint of stubble on his chin adding to his homeless image. He was tall and lanky and definitely not the cute old doctor they had expected to meet. Hell, he couldn't have been any older than 30.

Ayako was the first to recover from shock. "You must be Hatori-san? My name is Ayako, and this is Mai. We're here invest–"

"Of course." Hatori smiled, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he regarded the two, "You guys are from the crazy ghost hunting group."

After delivering the highest of insults to the red-headed priestess, the doctor should be glad to still be breathing. "Mai, I can't do this. I'm going to punch him," Ayako said through clenched teeth, holding tighter onto the brunette whom she was supporting on her shoulder.

"We'll just get the stuff and get out of here, okay?" Mai whispered, glaring at the doctor as well.

Hatori just raised a cocky eyebrow, waiting for one of them to address him again. Ayako sighed, "Yes, we are from the SPR investigation team. Unfortunately Mai here got a sprained ankle yesterday, and I lack the materials to make a splint. So, I have come to you with the intention of borrowing–"

"I'll let you use my things – but on one condition," Hatori said, amused at how much his interruptions seemed to piss off the red-head. "We do things _my_ way."

Ayako looked unconvinced.

"It may also please you to know that I have _exclusive_ information about the shrine you're investigating."

* * *

><p>"So basically, 'your way' is just letting you be in control?" Mai inquired as the male doctor, freshly shaven and washed, worked on her ankle. After all, Ayako refused to let Mai get anywhere near him until he had taken a shower and shaved (and how convenient that the clinic used to be an old house and still had a shower and decent plumbing!). What a looker her was, too.<p>

"Hey," Hatori said, looking up over his work glasses, "my tools, my rules."

Mai frowned, leaning further back. Although she could tell that the cold shower had definitely sobered him up, the smell of alcohol still lingered on his breath. How could anyone possibly drink the stuff? What was the appeal in chugging down something that smelled and tasted absolutely horrible, only to throw it up and feel like crap later on because of it?

Gross.

Mai was relieved when he was finally done wrapping her splint and backed away. Ayako leaned over to examine his work and make sure it was good enough. When she could not find anything to complain about, she huffed and nodded.

"Looks better than I thought it would," the priestess comment, a hint of jealously present in her voice (not that she couldn't do better). Maybe she was he was upset that he had shown her up?

Hatori pouted at Ayako's comment, taking off his glasses and shoving them haphazardly in his white lab coat pocket. "I'm hurt, Ayako-chan."

The red-head bristled at her new nickname. "How many times have I told you in the last thirty minutes to not call me that?"

"Six times," the scruffy village doctor answered cockily, a lopsided grin forming on his face as he leaned back in his chair.

"The point of me telling you not to call me that is for you to _NOT _– You know what? Nevermind." Ayako changed the subject before she could forget, "Anyway, what's this about exclusive information?"

Hatori then looked genuinely confused. "What exclusive information? When did I say something like that?" Ayako's face turned red in anger and her mouth opened to say something smart, but Hatori was already laughing again.

"Just tell us what you know already!"

"My grandfather knew her when he was little, the shrine maiden that lived in this village, that is. The people here don't like to talk about it, but the kids used to abuse her: set fire in the forests when she was talking a walk, drag her to the river and push her head under water," Hatori paused, gauging Ayako and Mai's reactions to his words. "It went on for a long time, if I remember correctly. I'm sure they were all just joking, of course. But she, the priestess, was really shaken up by it. She finally hung herself one night at the shrine."

Mai covered her mouth, stifling the soft gasp that escaped her lips. "That's so horrible."

"It is what it is, girly." Hatori stood, stretching, and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Anyway, I better give you some crutches so you can at least get places on your own." He walked over to a closet somewhere across the room, fishing out the metal objects that he would lend her for the remainder of their stay.

"Not the best idea," Ayako said, sighing.

"What!" Mai exclaimed. "Are you implying something?"

"_Of course_ not."

* * *

><p><em>Mai breathed in water, her eyes opening in shock as the coolness slid down her throat and filled her lungs. Stars and planets whirled through the darkness that suddenly surrounded her as she was pulled down further beneath the surface. She was numb; her chest was tight, filling with fluid, tearing at her seams.<em>

Mai gasped for air, jolting from her reclining position in the truck's passenger's seat. Her foot ached from being propped up on the cold, hard dashboard, but both Ayako and Hatori had told her it would be best to keep her ankle elevated.

They were still driving to the hotel along the dirt road, Mai observed as the truck bounced ruthlessly over rocks and bumps in the path (Ayako must've been driving much faster than earlier). Hell, the ride from the clinic to the hotel was only five minutes. How long and when had she fallen asleep?

Ayako seemed to notice her awakening. "You really can fall asleep anywhere, can't you?"

"It's a talent," Mai joked.

"Did you have a dream?"

"I'll tell you about it when I can catch my breath," Mai said with a laugh, although the mention of the dream had clearly upset her. They pulled up to the front of the hotel, only to see Bou-san and Naru waiting outside for them. And they looked _pissed_.

Ayako cursed under her breath, turning towards Mai as she put the car in park. "Do you think we should've told them we were going out?" Somewhere in the back of Mai's mind, a voice comments that that might've been a good idea. How had that possibly slipped their minds?

Naru and the monk began their walk to the car. Ayako began to freak out. "Quick Mai, think of a reason as to why we were out!"

"Well, we _could_ just tell them the truth," Mai suggested with a shrug. Ayako didn't seem to like that idea as much. "How else will we explain the crutches and splint?"

Ayako shushed the brunette and rolled down Mai's window, but just as she was about to sugarcoat an excuse as to why she was unlicensed and driving their precious Mai around, said girl decided to break it to them bluntly. Maybe the information they got on the case would make up for it?

"Satomi-san realized that we didn't have the materials to make a proper splint for my leg, so she lent us her truck so that we could ride over to the village doctor and get them. Hatori-san was so nice, he even gave me crutches! And he had valuable information about the case." Mai smiled brightly at her scowling boss, but his irritated expression was not affected.

"Mai, didn't I specifically tell you _not_ to move from your spot while Lin and I were gone?"

"But Naru–"

"Ayako, I thought you of all people would be responsible enough–! Do you know how dangerous and reckless and _stupid_ it was of you to get behind the wheel of that truck? Did you even think before you drove off without a license, not to mention a minor in the car? In someone _else's_ car?" Bon-san suddenly hollered, shocking not only them, but Naru as well.

It was then that Mai understood how deeply Bou-san cared for the priestess.

Ayako was silenced, suddenly finding her lap a fairly interesting subject. "Hey, now," Mai said in defense of the upset woman, "It's not like Ayako's the only one at fault. I was the one who begged her to take me with her, or to even drive in the first place."

"She was the responsible adult in the situation and had the power to tell you 'no,' but she didn't," Bou-san countered.

Ayako proceeded to get out of the truck and start for the front entrance of the hotel, wiping tears from her eyes as she did so.

"Ayako!" Mai called helplessly. She turned to the monk with malice in her eyes. "Why'd you have to bite her head off like that, Bou-san? We got back safe and sound, didn't we? And thanks to Ayako, we got important information that I'm pretty sure the rest of the villagers won't be willing to share with us."

Slightly less upset than he had been earlier about the whole situation, Naru sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Although it may have been a bit extreme for Bou-san to have yelled, he's right. Ayako could've seriously endangered both of your lives by getting behind the wheel of that truck. And since I'm your boss and you're under my care, it technically would've been my fault. Try to steer clear of incidences like this in the future, will you."

Mai just turned her fierce glare from Bou-san to Naru. She took the keys from the ignition, hopping out of the truck on her one leg and shoved the keys against her boss's chest before hobbling off in the direction Ayako went.

* * *

><p>Well, this chapter not only took forever, but nothing seemed to get accomplished in it! NOOOO. Well, I'll just make up for it in the next chapter, I guess?<p>

Although I was a little discouraged by the amount of reviews, I'm still grateful for all of those who stopped their busy fanfiction reading schedule to do so. Thank you guys!

BYTHEWAY, 3,044 words, a new record!

_Braceyourselves_


	7. File 2: The White River :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 2: The White River

* * *

><p>"So this information you got…care to give the rest of some insight?"<p>

Mai looked up from her homework in disbelief, scoffing at how unbelievably insensitive her boss could be. Naru had been silent about the subject all throughout lunch, mainly because of how pissed off Mai had been, but now that she had cooled off a bit he felt it was time to ask.

Apparently Mai did not think so. She'd rather have said something along the lines of, "No, I wouldn't, you pretentious asshole," but rather than angering her already quite frustrated boss, Mai decided to indulge him.

"He didn't specify the exact period around which it was, but he told us his grandfather used to tell him stories about when he was a kid. All of the kids would torture the village priestess and call her a witch. They would set fire to the forest around her shrine, drown her in the lake. Finally she couldn't take it and hung herself."

Yasuhara turned to his boss. "Would you like me to go around and interview the villagers tomorrow?"

Naru hummed and nodded, leaning back in his chair. "Yes, please do."

"Naru, I'm telling you right now: _no one_ is going to say anything," Mai said in frustration, crossing her arms. Ayako seemed to agree with her, looking up at Naru pointedly.

Yasuhara smiled, ruffling the brunette's hair. "Better safe than sorry, I always say."

"Funny. I don't recall you ever saying that phrase," Ayako said with a shrug, focusing on her book once again.

This comment only added fire to the fuel of Yasuhara's constant bull crap. "Oh, well, you must not have been there. I say it all the time. Isn't that right, Mai-chan?"

"Do _not_ drag me into this."

"Mai, tea."

Mai mentally cursed, remembering that she left the automatic tea making machine in their room. She got up from the couch with the help of her new crutches. "Hey Ayako, want to come with me?"

The priestess sighed, closing her book after putting in a piece of paper to mark her spot. "I'm coming."

Mai frowned at her as they left the hotel room together, walking to the next door over. "What's wrong with you? You look a bit depressed."

Ayako's gaze dropped to her feet as they stood in front of the door. "I guess I am. I don't really know _how_ I feel…"

"Is this still about Bou-san? You know, I think he's been hit pretty hard by this himself. I mean he hasn't left his room since the whole thing happened–"

Ayako glared at her. "Well, it was _about_ the book I'm reading, but thanks for reminding me."

Damn it. Why does she _always _seem todo that?

Mai opened the door with the card key and hobbled into the cold room, avoiding the older woman's hard gaze. A shiver wracked her spine.

She knelt on her good leg and dug the instant tea maker out of a bag. "Yeah, sorry about that. By the way, I think maybe you two should sit down and have a conversation about what's up. I mean, the both of you are acting like theirs a stick lodged up your–"

Ayako coughed.

"Well, I'm not kidding! You two are completely ridiculous."

The red-head helped her back onto her feet. "So what did you think about Hatori-san? Pretty cute, huh? I mean, once he had shaved any everything."

Mai almost doubled over in laughter. "This! This is why you're having relationship problems with Bou-san! Get your mind off of other guys!"

Ayako sighed, "I think I should just accept that he and I aren't going to happen. I need to move on, you know?"

"No!" Mai objected, slamming one of the crutches into the carpeted floor. "I refuse to let you give up on him, _especially_ when he likes you back!"

'_Stop it!'_

Mai jumped, hearing a strangled, choking noise. She looked at Ayako, thinking maybe it was her who had made the terrified sound, but she looked fine, as if nothing were wrong.

Mai's heart was suddenly pounding in her rib cage as if it needed to escape. Shaking her head, she handed the tea machine to the red head and hobbled as quickly as possible out of the room.

Something was wrong. Someone needed her. The urge to go outside bubbled in Mai's being, and suddenly, that's where she was headed.

Ayako speechlessly left the machine on her bed and followed the brunette down the hallway. "Mai, what on earth are you doing?"

She didn't turn around to answer the priestess. "Someone's in trouble! They're calling for me."

Ayako grabbed her, trying to hold her back, but Mai dodged her arms and continued to exit the hotel at a rather fast speed. "Mai, I think maybe we should call Naru or–"

"We don't have time! I have to get outside!"

The cool air hit her like a ton of bricks and she realized after a while that Ayako wasn't following her anymore.

Something was calling to her. She needed to go to the shrine!

* * *

><p>Things swirled around in Mai's head and before she knew it, she was outside in the middle of a blazing inferno. She looked around, finding nothing but fire on all sides. And this was definitely <em>not <em>a dream.

How on earth had she gotten herself in there? It was all a blur.

Then she heard it. Amidst the roar of the fire and the cracking of falling trees, Mai heard crying.

She moved to the sound desperately, soon finding herself without her crutches and crawling on the ground (despite the pain) towards a hollow log. A small boy sat inside with his legs pulled tightly against his chest. He seemed to cry even harder at Mai's appearance.

"It's the ghost! The priestess–"

"I'm not a ghost. My name is Mai," she called over the flames.

The brunette continued quickly, not waiting for a response.

"Don't worry," she reassured with a cough. Even on the forest floor, the smoke was so bad that she was starting to choke on it. "I only want to help you. We need to get out of here right now, okay?"

The boy shook his head, still too scared to trust the mysterious figure that had appeared in the flames. But Mai wasn't just going to leave the poor defenseless kid on his own. "If we don't move now, we'll both die. Please _trust _me!"

The distress and fear in her voice must have finally reached the boy because he soon enough crawled quickly out of the hollow log and into her arms.

Mai stood swiftly, and although the pain in her ankle caused her to scream, she couldn't let it stop her.

The brunette hoisted the boy up into her arms, looking for a safe passage out of the forest that she had oddly enough gotten herself into. The smoke filled her lungs, just as the water in her dream had. It clouded her vision, not only making her eyes burn and water, but it seemed to make her thought process fly out the window.

What was supposed to do now? She never should have come in on her own. But then again, the trembling boy in her arms might have been as good as dead if she hadn't. Maybe he still was?

Suddenly, Mai had little faith that they would make it out of the flaming forest alive.

That's when something damp, like a wet blanket, landed on her head. She looked up to see exactly what it was, but before she could do so, she and the boy in her arms were pulled into a strong, broad chest.

A newfound adrenaline, the drive to stay alive, seemed to rush through Mai and the only thought she had for the next few minutes was to keep her legs moving and to follow wherever she was being led.

It seemed like hours had gone by before Mai realized she was stumbling to the ground in a coughing fit. The fire was now in the distance and she could see multiple villagers struggling to put out the flames around the shrine with just their small buckets of water. But where had the little boy gone?

Her head whipped around a couple of times until she could see the boy reuniting with his worried parents. Mai sighed in relief and leaned back, surprised to find herself against the same broad chest that belonged to her rescuer.

Mai turned around. "Hatori-san?"

He winked at her. "In the flesh."

"_You're_ the one that rescued me?"

"Well, who else?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow. "Who were you hoping I was?" Mai hid the disappointment in her face and smiled, shaking her head in thanks.

_Naru…_

"Mai!"

Mai looked up to find Ayako, Naru, and the others heading toward them in a full scale sprint.

"Oh my god, Mai!" Ayako called as she ran to where the brunette sat on the dirt road. The self-proclaimed priestess fell to her knees, wrapping the girl into a tight embrace. Mai could tell from the shaking, that she was crying.

The rest of the SPR team didn't seem as happy.

"Mai, you idiot," Ayako cried, holding the smaller girl at arm's length. "Don't scare me like that!" She looked up to the village doctor with a grateful smile, "Thank you, Hatori-san. Really, thank you."

"Anything for a beautiful lady such as yourself."

At any other given moment, (and in the event that he were teasing her) Ayako definitely would've had something smart to say back. She was caught off guard because you could tell from the look on his face that he was anything but joking. The priestess flushed bright red.

"Mai," Naru decided to chime in at that moment as he gave a disapproving look to the doctor. "I think it's time we had a talk."

* * *

><p>"Naru, I don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this," Mai said with an exasperated sigh, throwing herself back into the plush couch. It may have only been 8 o'clock or so, but a day of being scolded and saving children from fires was definitely tiring. Her body felt just about ready to give out on her.<p>

"Mai, I don't think you comprehend the severity of the situation." Ayako seemed just as tired, but she continued on in the conversation, confident that she would get her point across eventually. "You could have _died_."

"Ayako, there's a possibility of anyone dying wherever they go! Walking on the street, driving, singing karaoke, buying gum at a convenience store–"

"Singing karaoke?"

Mai scoffed at her lack of imagination. "Have you never watched _Detective Conan_? That's some creative stuff right there."

"That's not the point, Mai," Naru struggled to say calmly, "The point is that you're irresponsible and reckless, not to mention injured. I don't think you should be on this case anymore."

"_I object!_"

Yasuhara smiled. "Let's think of it this way: it's in your best interest, _plus_ you really have no choice because everyone is against you."

A knock on the door came, and Bou-san opened it to reveal Hatori-san with a new pair of crutches in his arms. Mai smiled at him gratefully, "It seems like you've been saving me a lot today."

"Eh," he shrugged with a smile, walking in the room, "It's what doctors do. By the way, you probably have a headache and are feeling nauseous from the smoke inhalation, so I brought you some acetaminophen if you don't already have some on you. It'll make you sleepy, though."

He leaned the crutches against the arm of the couch, handing Mai the bottle of pills, which she took graciously.

Bou-san snatched the small white bottle from the brunette before she could even read the labeling. "I don't trust you," the monk said simply, glaring up at the doctor. He, in turn, received a defiant frown from Mai.

Hatori laughed through his nose and held his hands up as if in surrender. "Fair enough."

Ayako looked between the village doctor and the monk nervously. "It's okay. I think I have some in my bag, anyway. In fact, I'll go check."

_Damn it, Ayako. Are you seriously leaving me in a room alone with these idiots?_

In order to avoid awkward silence, because it seemed that Hatori wasn't going to leave until Ayako returned (and God knows she likes to take her sweet time), Mai asked the doctor a question that had been on her mind ever since she regained her senses.

"So what were you doing out there?"

"Me?" Hatori pointed to himself in confusion.

Naru narrowed his eyes. "That's a good question."

Mai nodded. "I mean you don't exactly live close to the shrine, do you?"

"You're right. That little boy that you saved is a regular at the clinic. He's always getting himself into trouble, but his mom and I are good friends because of it," Hatori said as he fell onto the couch next to Mai, much to Naru and Bou-san's displeasure. "She came to me an hour before the whole thing started, freaking out because she couldn't find him. She thought he might have been at the clinic, but I hadn't seen him. So I went looking."

"Found it!" Ayako opened the door, holding up the bottle of medicine.

Mai as right; Hatori took this as his queue to leave. He stood and ruffled Mai's hair in a brotherly way. "Be safer from now on, klutz. You were lucky this time, but next time someone might not be around to save you."

Mai rolled her eyes, swatting his hand away. "I'll try."

Bou-san threw the bottle of acetaminophen at the doctor, which he skillfully caught, as he was leaving the hotel room. It was only after Hatori left that anyone said anything.

"He's funny," Yasuhara started.

"I don't like him," the monk said grumpily.

Lin turned his attention back on the monitors with a sigh.

Mai took this time to get a good glare in. "You guys are _too_ rude."

"I agree with Bou-san. Something about him rubs me the wrong way."

"Not you too, Naru!" Mai exclaimed, looking over at her boss. "You've only known him for, like, five minutes!"

"Like you've known him much longer," the monk countered with a snort, "And I can't believe you'd accept medicine from a stranger! It's the same exact thing as getting crack from someone on the freaking street."

"He's a _doctor_!"

"And you're naïve!"

"I can't handle this right now. I'm off to bed," Ayako said finally, escaping as fast as possible from the room.

"Ayako, wait for me!" Mai opened her mouth in protest when she didn't. "That's not fair, I'm handicapped!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the delay! School's a bitch, as we all know.<strong>

**I didn't get as much accomplished as I had wanted to in this chapter. I also didn't have much Naru...****But that's okay, because the next chapter definitely will. I hope you guys enjoyed!**


	8. File 2: The White River :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 2: The White River

* * *

><p><em>The sound of sobbing brought Mai to attention. She looked around in the icy blackness, only to find herself and dream Naru present. He was looking off into the abyss, his usually lively blue eyes somewhat dull.<em>

_Nonetheless, Mai was more than happy to see him. "Naru! I hope this won't be another dream of me drowning again."_

_He shook his head slowly and looked down at her, a troubled expression twisting his features. He pointed wistfully into what seemed to be the direction of the sobbing. "Over there. Go to her."_

_Naru never really was a man of many words, was he?_

_Mai walked in the direction he had pointed out to her, but stopped when she realized that he was still glued to his spot. Why wasn't he following? "Aren't you coming, too?"_

"_Only you c…an…h…lp…er," Naru said, fading. His voice crackled oddly, breaking completely in some spots, like they were on a phone with horrible reception._

_Unable to do much else, Mai followed his directions and began walking towards the sobbing._

_When the darkness finally faded, Mai found herself stopped on an old stone walkway, red torii towering overhead. A dark, lifeless forest surrounded her and the pristine shrine that stood a short distance away._

_Had this been the effect of the fire last night? No, Mai had a sinking feeling that this was a vision of how it had looked in the past._

_Mai swallowed the stagnant air and held it in her lungs as she walked up the steps and opened the heavy wooden door. The sobbing hit her like a ton of bricks and spilled out into the motionless skeleton of the forest. She hurried inside and shut the doors behind her, afraid that someone might come and investigate if they heard the wailing (the fear seemed rather irrational once she actually thought about it later on). _

_A young woman in a white haori and a pair of red hakamas, was the source of the weeping, Mai concluded upon entering the shrine. She was laying on the wooden floor, her long, dark hair splayed across her back which was rising and falling sporadically in accordance with her sobs._

"_Um…" Mai went to console the girl, only to realize that she didn't even know her name._

_The crying came to a halt when the miniscule sound was noticed._

_The priestess raised her head, revealing her face which was red and swollen, no doubt, from tears. Mai was left speechless at how beautiful she was, regardless. The brunette wished she looked that pretty when she was crying._

"_Who are you?"_

_The words were cold and mean, shocking Mai so much so that she stuttered. "I-I just w-wanted to know your name."_

_The shrine maiden sniffed, turning away. "You're a liar. You've come to laugh at me, just like the others."_

"_No!" Mai hadn't realized how desperate she sounded until she saw the surprised look on the priestess' face. "I mean, I really just wanted to know your name. Really."_

_Mai wondered how she could've mistaken her for a villager in the first place. She looked down at herself expecting to see yellow ducky pajamas, but found herself in a plain __kosode that__ was even too old-fashioned for modern villagers to be wearing._

_The girl, who was probably only around age 20, gazed up at Mai in suspicion. "My name is Miyoko."_

_Mai smiled, happy that she finally knew what to call her. "It really suits you."_

_Miyoko didn't seem to take her words as a compliment, however, seeing as how she just sat and glared at the short-haired brunette. Mai suddenly found the stranger very reminiscent of Masako. "So why were you crying? The villagers are making fun of you?"_

"_No. On Tuesdays they throw rocks at me."_

_Mai stared at her, speechless. _

_They have different methods of torture on different days? Now that's screwed up._

_Finally, she gained the courage to speak again. "I think all of the guys that torture you actually like you, and all of the girls that make fun of you are just jealous because of it."_

_Miyoko blushed fiercely at the suggestion. "B-But why would…?"_

"_Your name means 'beautiful child.' I wasn't lying when I told you it suited you," Mai said, a small smile tugging at her lips._

_The tears that stung the corners of Miyoko's eyes fell. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."_

* * *

><p>"It's about time you woke up," Bou-san said as Mai groggily entered the base. "Yasuhara and Ayako went off to interview the villagers <em>hours<em> ago. I was beginning to get bored."

Mai glared at the monk through heavy eyelids. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she inquired as she fell back on the couch next to the laid-back man, resting her crutches against the wall. Even if she _had _barely escaped a fire with her life (and, not to mention, had a sprained ankle), the brunette was surprised that Naru hadn't ordered someone to kick her out of bed yet.

"Naru wanted us to let you sleep in."

"Really?" Mai blushed, looking up at her boss. She was seemingly excited about the situation until she realized that it was almost too good to be true. Naru wouldn't be that nice to her, would he? It was nothing, if not a bit suspicious.

Naru saw her expectant gaze and quickly moved his deep ocean blue eyes down to a monitor screen. He knew she would not like what he had to say. "Since you're not on the case anymore, I don't see the point in getting you up early."

Lin wondered if Naru would eventually learn to think before he talked.

Meanwhile, Mai was having a sensation similar to what she thought a heart settling into the pit of one's stomach might feel like. She laughed nervously, hoping it was all just a bad joke. "That's not funny, Naru."

Naru sighed. "It wasn't meant to be."

The ringing in her ears for the next few seconds was so loud that she couldn't even hear what Bou-san was trying to tell her. She was off the case. What did he mean, 'off the case'?

For some reason, however, Mai wasn't mad. She wasn't even upset. She only had one feeling at the moment: pure anxiety.

"…ai? Mai?" Bou-san shook her arm gentle. She looked up to see his face guilt-strewn and worried.

She couldn't be here another second. Mai wanted to leave; to get out of the base. She needed some air.

The others must've been expecting a different reaction, because they all had their eyes trained on her as if she were about to go hysterical. Bou-san even stood up cautiously when the brunette reached for her crutches.

Mai rolled her eyes, getting up and hobbling to the door.

"Hey, hey, hey! Where are you going?" The monk called. Lin shot Naru a quick look, urging him to go after her before the monk had a chance.

"What does it matter?" Mai shot back challengingly. She may not have been upset, but why not raise a little hell? "It's not like I'm working on the case anymore. You shouldn't care where I go, right?"

Naru took Lin's silent advice and followed after as she exited the room. "Regardless of whether or not you're on the case, I'm still responsible for you out here. Knowing your knack for finding trouble, I need to know your location at all times. And someone should be with you. Understood?"

Naru didn't receive a reply. Instead, Mai somehow managed to increase her speed upon exiting the building. Naru was starting to get the hint that Mai was used to, not to mention skilled with, crutches. The way she moved with them, he could tell she had dealt with them multiple times. It wasn't really all that surprising to him, what with how much of a klutz she was.

Frustrated with her lack of response, Naru grabbed her by the arm. The crutch fell out from under her and clattered to the ground, causing Mai to spin around unbalanced. He wrapped his arm around her, steadying her. "Understood?"

Mai couldn't help but momentarily blush. "Take me somewhere, then."

"Excuse me?"

She looked at him pointedly. "I want to go to the shrine. If I can't go alone, who better to bring than you?"

Naru internally debated using work as an excuse not to go and to get her back into the safety of the hotel, but he knew Mai would find some way around it. Besides, he'd only gotten two other quick chances to look at the location in person. Scoping out the area may be for the best, especially if he wanted to perform the exorcism soon.

"Fine, I'll go with you on one condition: no wandering off."

"I'll be a perfect little, angel. I swear!"

"Well," Naru sighed, "that remains to be seen."

"Hey!"

* * *

><p>"Why the shrine?" Naru inquired as the two of them walked up the stairs to the entrance of the old building.<p>

Mai didn't answer. In fact, she wasn't even listening to him. She observed the forest surrounding the building and its red torii. It was scary how identical this forest was compared to the one in her dream; almost a perfect mirror image of black, mangled trees.

The only difference from reality and her dream was the shrine itself. While now, with no one to care for it, the building was weathered and cracked with the stress of the years, in Mai's dream it had been clean, beautiful, and pristine, as if it had just finished being built.

"Mai?" Naru waved a hand in front of her face, bringing her back to the world. "I wonder if you ever listen to me..."

"I do sometimes, I guess," Mai said playfully, her mood suddenly lifting. "What was the question, again?"

Although it was a fairly hard task, Naru managed to remain remotely contained. "Why are we at the shrine?"

"Oh, yeah!" Mai exclaimed as if just realizing where they were. "I had this weird dream about Miyoko and the shrine. I just wanted to come check it out myself."

Naru seemed to put two and two together, recognizing that she was talking about the shrine maiden. "You had a dream and you didn't tell me as soon as you walked into the base? I don't understand why I hired you anymore."

Mai opened her mouth in offense. "I was kind of preoccupied when you mentioned me being off the case. You can really be an insensitive jerk, you know?"

But Naru couldn't deny it, seeing as Mai has had so many firsthand experiences, not to mention eye-witnesses to back her claim. Even the best lawyer wouldn't have been able to get him out of that one.

"Anyway," Naru said, trailing off with an expecting stare headed in Mai's direction.

Mai looked at him strangely. "Anyway, what?"

Naru sighed for the zillionth time that day. You'd hope she would have some common sense after hanging out with the narcissist for so long. "Your dream. Care to tell me?"

"_You_?" Mai took that as her queue to snort very rudely.

Naru looked at her, his deep blue eyes demanding a decent reply.

Mai sighed in exasperation. She would never be able to win against him. "So it started off with me walking on the pathway to the shrine…"

* * *

><p>Yasuhara slapped his empty notebook onto the coffee table, falling back into the couch with a tired sigh. Ayako followed suit, taking the tea that Mai was handing her appreciatively. Setting her crutches on the coffee table, Mai settled herself between the two of them and sipped at her own cup of earl grey.<p>

"So…? I take it you guys didn't get much?"

Yasuhara, who had prided himself on being able to attain any sort of information, ran a hand through his unusually tousled hair. "Nothing. Zip. Nada."

"Those that we interviewed were either completely oblivious or unnaturally tight-lipped," Ayako said with a shrug.

"Well if what that Hatori guy says is right and the elders of this village are the ones who tortured the priestess, then they probably all tried to keep their children from ever learning about their mistakes. That's why no one knows anything, and the ones who _do_ keep the information under lock and key," Yasuhara concluded.

"Naru, I think you might want to see this," Lin said, suddenly raising his hand and obtaining the room's attention. They all got up and gathered around Lin's laptop despite he had only called over Naru. On the monitor there was a black and white picture of a beautiful young girl in a kimono.

Mai gasped. "That's her, Naru! That's Miyoko." Maybe it was just her, but the woman looked much more striking and beautiful in the picture than in person. Perhaps it's because she wasn't crying. "I _told_ you she was beautiful."

Naru looked at the picture intensely, taking in every detail. It slightly unnerved Mai, making her regret that she'd ever said anything about Miyoko's looks in the first place.

"So this is the priestess?" Ayako inquired, as she leaned over Lin's shoulder to get a better look, her face _much_ too close to his for Bou-san comfort. The monk was relieved he didn't have to punch Lin in the face when Ayako stood up quickly and looked at Mai accusingly. "Wait, how do you know what she looks like or what her name is? You had a dream, didn't you?"

Mai shrugged, her eyes still focused on her boss. "Yeah. There wasn't much too it, though. We just introduced ourselves and she told me she was crying because the villagers were throwing stones at her. So I comforted her for a while and then I woke up."

"Matsuzaki-san," Naru suddenly straitened, turning to Ayako. "Is it possible for you to cleanse her spirit?"

"With the condition of the trees in this area? There's no way," she replied regretfully, folding her arms. "I could try an exorcism, but I'm not so sure it would do the trick."

"I see. That won't be necessary," he said as if he had an alternative, but was soon seated in his chair, thinking pose fully activated.

"I could try to cleanse Miyoko through my dreams," Mai suggested with a smile. Everyone looked at her skeptically like she couldn't do it. They doubted her. But she had done it in the last case, hadn't she?

Suddenly self conscious of all the eyes on her, Mai shook her head. "Forget I said anything. I probably couldn't do it again, anyway."

"No, no, Mai," Ayako said quickly, sensing her thoughts. "I think it's really good idea actually, but it's risky. Last time we were lucky, but you never know what's going to happen. We don't want to see you hurt."

"I know, I know," Mai said, "I shouldn't have suggested anything anyway, seeing as how I'm off the case and all." And with that, she hobbled out of the room.

_-breakbreakbreakbreakbreak_-

"There you are," Bou-san exclaimed when he spotted the girl wondering around in the gardens behind the hotel, relief flooding onto his features. "I swear, you could give someone a run for their money with those crutches. It's ridiculous."

Mai laughed a little, poking at a cluster of purple hydrangeas. "I guess you could say I've used them before."

"So what's got you down, Mai?" he asks, resting his hand on her shoulder and forcing her to stop walking.

"It's nothing. I just needed a little breather," she said with a sigh, avoiding his prying eyes. Mai hated talking to Bou-san about her problems, because he could see right through her. Plus, the monk already had enough trouble in his own love life; there was no need to add Mai's to his. "Satomi-san has an amazing green thumb, doesn't she?"

"Mai," Bou-san's grip on her shoulder tightened as she went to continue walking, "Talk to me."

'I'm not asking you, I'm telling you,' Mai could almost hear the monk adding afterwards.

"You know…I don't get it. Am I not good enough for you guys?" Mai inquired, the winter air making her breath come out in small crystallized puffs.

Bou-san shook his head. "Wasn't it you who said that SPR was like a family? Mai, you have to understand that we think of you as the most precious member of the SPR family; the glue, so to speak. We want to keep you safe and protected and comfortable, even if it means doing something you won't like. We do the things we do because…well, we love you."

The tears that were forming in her eyes as he was speaking fell down her face. The hugged for a long while before Mai finally began to relax in his arms. Bou-san laughed, "It looks like someone's getting tired. Off to bed with you!"

"But _Bou-saaan_."

"I won't have that tonight, young lady! Now off to bed!"

"Oh, fine."

* * *

><p><strong>I feel bad that I can never get Lin in anywhere. I did it a little better with this chapter, though. I think. Anyway, I've started working on the next case already! You guys are going to love it!<strong>

**On to the next chapter! **


	9. File 2: The White River :: 5

Behind Closed Doors

File 2: The White River

* * *

><p>"MAI!"<p>

Mai jolted up from bed. She looked over to find Ayako making up her own bed, dressed in a short sleeved shirt and jean shorts. The priestess looked up from what she was doing, "Finally! I've been trying to get you up for the past hour."

"Sorry," Mai said sheepishly, scratching the back of her head as she got up to stretch. "I slept like a rock!"

"You're telling me?" Ayako snorted, "Come on, hurry up and get dressed."

"What for?" Mai inquired. Hadn't Naru told her that she wasn't on the case anymore?

"I think Naru wants you to come along for the exorcism today," Ayako pondered, tapping her chin. "I guess it's to make up for yesterday."

"Does he really?" Mai's face lit up when she saw the priestess nod and immediately began searching for suitable clothes. Ayako laughed at her enthusiasm.

After a moment of silence, when the self-proclaimed miko had finished making her bed, she looked up at Mai. "So you're not upset that we have to exorcise Miyoko's spirit?"

Mai paused momentarily, but quickly went back to pulling her shirt over her head. "Of course I'm upset…but it's not like the last case we had. I can't just pretend to be an entire village and make Miyoko forgive them for everything they've done. What else can we do?"

Ayako could only shrugged solemnly before she and Mai made their way to the base.

* * *

><p>Mai took a deep breath, watching Bou-san close his eyes and do the same. The monk stood in the center of the shrine, prayer beads tangled in his hands as he began to chant his usual incantations. They all stood stiffly in the silence, waiting for something to happen. And for a moment of confusion, nothing did.<p>

Mai turned to her boss, leaning over to ask why nothing was happening, when the ground beneath them suddenly shuddered. Naru managed to wrap a protective arm around her before she and her crutches could fall.

Bou-san, although a bit shaken up by the incident, continued to chant over the moaning of the old shrine. A sort of heaviness hung in the air, Mai noticed, suddenly making it harder to breathe. And then there was another shudder.

Naru could only wrap his arms tighter around her and tuck the brunette's head under his chin when small pieces of ceiling began to fall around them. He looked up at the monk and caught his eye, signaling that they needed to speed it up a little.

But the room stilled. Mai could hear the flow of words from Bou-san stop. She could feel Naru holding his breath, his heartbeat accelerating slightly. Turning her head from Naru's chest, Mai looked around only to find that she was holding her own breath as well.

A translucent figure that had taken the shape of Miyoko stood before them. She looked down at the brunette in pure, unadulterated rage, her face twisted with hate and no longer as beautiful as if had been in Mai's dream.

'_Why?'_

The ghostly priestess said it so quietly; Mai could barely make out the angry whisper. She was too speechless to make coherent sentences, though.

'_Why?'_ the priestess inquired again, this time much louder and angrier sounding. Naru pulled Mai away, probably afraid that the ghost would, at some point, lash out at the young girl in his arms. _'How could you do this to me? You were so nice.'_

"'Why'?" Mai said, anger bubbling in the pit of her stomach as her thoughts cleared. "Do you even realize what you've been doing up to this point? You've been hurting innocent men, women, and children! We can't let you do that anymore, Miyoko."

'_Don't you realize how much they've hurt me? Why can't you see? They need to be taught a lesson.'_

"I know you've been hurt, but it's not right to hate someone for what their parents or ancestors have done in the past. The choices that they made were their own, not their children's. These are innocent people you are hurting and it has to stop."

'_You don't understand! You just–'_

A shuffling on the shrine's steps caused everyone to be silenced, so much so that a pin could be heard if dropped.

"Kneel down, now, Shouji," a rough and old, yet gentle voice ordered.

The whine of a small child – a boy – was heard, "but _Grandma_, you still haven't told me what we're doing here!"

A soft swat could be heard before the boy yelped in pain. "Be quite boy. We're here to ask for forgiveness."

"Forgiveness for what?"

"A long time ago, I did a horrible thing. Because of that horrible thing, you almost died in the fire last night. We've come to ask for priestess Miyoko's forgiveness," The old woman spoke much quieter, but her words rang throughout the shrine. "I was a foolish child, but my family doesn't deserve to live with my mistakes on their shoulders. I'd offer you my own life, but I know nothing I can give you will be enough to make up for what I've done…"

"But Grandma," Shouji started, confused (Mai could almost see his eyebrows knitted together), "what if she doesn't want to forgive us?"

The old woman paused, as if she had never even considered it a possibility. "She will. I know she will."

The two sat there in a comfortable silence, unaware that there were people inside of the shrine struggling to stay as still as possible until they were gone. Mai looked at the ghostly apparition after Shouji and his grandma went on their way. She wanted almost desperately to say something, but instead she heard Ayako's even voice from across the shrine.

"That child, so sweet and innocent, nearly died yesterday from that fire you started," the red head said, her voice a bit harsher than Mai had expected. "His grandmother has repented. So now what do you do? Will you continue to harm these innocents?"

'_I…I don't–'_ Miyoko was at a loss for words.

Ayako approached the ghostly figure despite Bou-san's whispered warnings. "You need to move on. It's the right thing to do, and you know that."

Mikoyo looked helplessly at the fellow priestess, her shoulders slumping. _'You're right. What have I been doing all of this time?'_

"It's not too late to move on. Everyone's waiting for you; your mother and father, even your little sister," Naru said, surprising the rest of them. "You don't have to stay here anymore."

'But all of the horrible things I've done…They'll hate me!'

"No matter what's happened, they will treat you with love and affection. Don't fear the light, move towards it."

Miyoko smiled, suddenly glowing. _'Thank you. Thank you so much.'_

Mai smiled as the apparition faded and their case was officially solved. Hopefully now roots wouldn't be grabbing at peoples ankles and twisting them. After all, Hatori only had one pair of crutches left.

* * *

><p>Satomi pulled the young teenager into her arms, squeezing tightly. "It's been such a pleasure. Thank you and your team for coming. You've saved us a lot of business, let me tell you."<p>

"No problem!" Mai said, unable to contain the wide smile on her face. "Thank you for being an amazing hostess. If you have any other supernatural occurrences in the future, you know who to call!" She wanted to say something like '_GHOST BUSTERS_' afterwards, but she knew how much Naru hated it when she referred to SPR as such.

Satomi laughed, looking back at her husband who was silently urging her to come inside. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Once again, thank you so much."

Mai waved as the innkeeper returned inside.

"Hey, Mai!" Ayako called as she ran over to the brunette, the worried look on her face concerning the teenager.

"That's wrong, Ayako? Shouldn't you be loading the van?" Suddenly, having crutches and a twisted ankle was a gift. Naru had prohibited her from touching any boxes or equipment, thus excluding her from the arduous task of packing up. She could actually get used to this.

"It's just…on the way home…can I ride with you and Naru and Lin?" the priestess hesitated to say.

Little did Ayako know that Mai had already planned for Yasuhara to ride in the SPR van so that she and Bou-san could be alone. "Why not ride with Bou-san? It's the perfect chance to settle all of your problems! You can tell him that you like him and he can tell you that he likes you! And then it'll be like, _BAM_, problem solved. Then you two will become a couple and I will be stuck, forever alone."

Ayako looked down at the brunette with a raised eyebrow. "Mai, is this even about me anymore?"

"What? I'm just upset that everyone else's love life seems to be moving along fine, except mine! It sucks."

The red head wrapped the younger girl up in her arms. "Don't worry. He'll come to his senses soon enough. Then you two will start going out and he'll think to himself, '_why didn't I do this sooner?_'" It's at times like these when Mai regretted plotting against poor Ayako and pissing her off. But it was for the sake of the older woman's love life, so it was all justified, right?

"He doesn't even like me!" Mai said with a sort of depressed laugh. She and Ayako walked over to the van, where said priestess was supposed to be taking inventory of all the equipment.

"We'll see about that," Ayako said with a wink.

"What on earth are girls talking about?" an amused voice inquired. The two girls whipped around in shock. Mai hit Hatori on the arm, a relieved smile playing across her face when she realized that he wasn't any of their teammates.

"Don't scare us like that, you jerk!" Mai laughed. "I almost had a heart attack!"

Hatori laughed, ruffling Mai's hair like Bou-san usually would. "What, are you talking about things your teammates shouldn't hear?"

"What else do girls talk about?" Ayako hinted.

Hatori laughed, patting Mai on the shoulder knowingly. "Ah!"

Bou-san came around to the back of the van. When he noticed Hatori's presence and his hand on Mai's shoulders, the monk's eyes narrowed. "Ayako, it's time to go. By the way, Naru wants you Mai."

Mai gave a disappointed sigh, but complied after giving the village doctor a final hug and handing him her crutches. "It's been nice knowing you."

"You too. Stay out of trouble, you hear?"

"No promises!" she called as she walked to the front of the van.

That's when the awkward silence between the three began. Hatori and Bou-san were having what seemed like an intense staring contest as Ayako stood painfully still, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Um, so I guess I'll see you later, Hatori-san?" Ayako said slowly. She went to give the doctor a quick hug, but was caught in his arms for longer than she had anticipated.

"Yeah," he said, burying his head into her hair, "don't lose the sheet of paper with my phone number and email address on it, okay?"

Ayako pulled back and looked at the man before her questioningly. Just as she was going to ask him what he was talking about, Bou-san's strong grip yanked her out of the doctor's arms and pulled her over to his car.

"What the hell was that, Bou-san?" she inquired, stopping in front of the passenger door with her hands planted firmly on her hips.

The monk ignored her and started his car up, waiting for the red head to get in. Knowing that he wouldn't answer her until she did so, Ayako finally got into the vehicle with a roll of her eyes. "So are you going to tell me why you're suddenly freaking out?"

"I don't know," Bou-san said with feign innocence, "Are you going to tell me what the deal is with you and that Hatori guy?"

Ayako's eyebrows shot up and she laughed in disbelief. Was Mai actually right about Bou-san liking her? "What deal? There is nothing between me and Hatori! I mean, we only knew each other for a day or so."

Bou-san, however, did not look amused as he began to apply pressure to the gas pedal and took off past the SPR van that was still parked. Ayako looked back at Mai and Yasuhara who were waving at the disappearing car with smiles on their faces. Wait…wasn't _she_ supposed to be riding in the van with them instead of Yasuhara? Damn it. "W-Wait! I thought you wanted to follow Lin? Do you even know the way home?"

The monk ignored her question. Besides if he got to the village without following Lin, he could get back without following Lin. "Well then why do you have Hatori's contact information?"

Ayako's mouth hung open. "I don't _have_ his contact information. I don't even know why he said that, but no contact information has been exchanged between us."

Bou-san didn't say anything else, but he stayed stiff in his seat, hands white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.

Ayako's heart beat accelerated. What on earth as happening? Did Bou-san really like her? Should she tell him that she liked him? '_No, lead him on a bit,_' she told herself. Looking out of the window while trying her best not to fidget, Ayako sighed. "I would never start a long distance relationship; they always end in heartbreak. _Besides_, I have someone I like already."

Bou-san could've smacked himself. He already knew that! After all, that was the whole reason for the tension between them in the first place. But if he knew that, then why was he freaking out over Hatori? He was such an idiot. "Who is it?" he asked after taking a deep breath.

"Well, he works at SPR, for one thing," Ayako hinted. "He's also very talented."

That meant that nearly everyone he worked with, excluding Naru (because he knew how dedicated Ayako was to getting him and Mai together) and John, was an option! The monk nearly swerved off the road.

"Bou-san, what the hell?"

"Who is it?" he inquired for a second time, his voice much darker. "Is it Lin?" He knew she'd liked the stoic man for at least one point in time.

Ayako rolled her eyes at the suggestion. "Think _realistically_."

"No way – Yasuhara?" Oh, he was going to kill the college student.

But Ayako laughed, shocking the older man. "Of course not!" she managed to say in between giggles.

"Okay, I'm starting again," Bou-san said with a sigh, "You said no to Lin and Yasuhara and I excluded Naru because of Mai and John because he's a priest."

Ayako nodded expectantly, only causing him to look at her stupidly. "We don't work with any other guys!"

Ayako sighed, leaning back into her seat. She realized at that moment how fast her heart was beating. Should she do this? Maybe she should stop before the monk really figures out whom she likes. What would it do to their relationship once he realizes who she's talking about? What if she was picking up the wrong signals and he actually doesn't like her? For someone who had had a good amount of boyfriends before, this sure was harder than she thought.

"Never mind, just forget I ever–"

"Wait, the only other guy you work with besides Lin, Naru, Yasuhara, and John is me," Bou-san took a deep breath after saying this, looking over at the red head. There was no way she could possibly be talking about him, was there? "Does that mean you like me?"

Ayako's face flushed and she looked out of the car's window in hopes that the monk wouldn't notice. "What took you so long to realize that?"

Bou-san sighed, cursing under his breath. "I want to kiss you so bad right now."

* * *

><p>"Man, I'm awesome," Mai praised herself as she slid into the back of the van next to Yasuhara. Lin started up the car and they were off.<p>

Naru raised his eyebrow, not quite understanding what had brought that up. She seemed to be talking to Yasuhara, however, he soon realized as the college student replied with a quick, "So do you think they're going to confess to each other?"

They must've been talking about Bou-san and Ayako.

"Well, I've got a little more than a sneaking suspicion that they will," the brunette said confidently. "I think Ayako's going to hint at who she likes, Bou-san's going to freak out and get jealous, then she's going to give up and drop the subject, but he'll eventually figure it out. I mean, he's not that stupid, right?"

"It's amazing how you can see all of that, and yet you're so oblivious about your own love life," Yasuhara commented.

_Now_ Naru was a little more than interested.

"W-What are you talking about?"

"Oh, yeah! You know how I saw you last Sunday at the coffee shop? Well, the friend that was with me said that you were pretty cute and he wants to meet you again!" Yasuhara commented to Mai, although his eyes were glued to Naru's face in the side mirror.

Oh, hell no. Not one of Yasuhara's friends.

Naru sat straighter in his seat, crossing his arms. "If you have enough time to slack off at work as well as on weekends, maybe I should put you on the schedule for Sundays too? That way you can get more of your office work done."

"_What?_"

* * *

><p><strong>BAM! A couple is born. Nothing much else to say about this chapter. ENJOY!<strong>

**Next case: Justifying the Means**


	10. File 3: Justifying the Means :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 3: Justifying the Means

* * *

><p>Naru sighed into his cup rudely. Mai would've glared at her uninterested boss had she not been preoccupied with cleaning up the tea their client had spilled just seconds earlier.<p>

"I'm so sorry, dear! I've been so shaky as of late. I really should've turned down the tea anyway – stomach can't really handle the stuff."

Mai smiled up at the middle aged, balding man as she mopped the liquid from the coffee table with a paper towel. He was the headmaster of the only all-boys boarding school in Japan – Kaiyo Academy. And although it had just recently been built, some seriously crazy stuff must've been going on at the school to make the headmaster this incredibly nervous.

"It's fine, really."

Naru ignored their little side conversation, and immediately got down to business. "So, can you explain what kind of activity your students have experienced, Fumei-san?"

"Oh! Ye-yes, I can," he said, taking out a handkerchief and wiping away the beads of sweat that were starting to form on his brow. "Books will fly across the classroom and hit students, some students have been tripped several times, they feel like they're being watched and hurtful things will end up on being written on the chalkboard. These things have always really happened, there just haven't been so many...incidences all at the same time. All of the sudden the activity has increased."

Naru looked at the headmaster skeptically. "Sounds like a couple of bullies to me."

Fumei rose from his seat. "Please, Shibuya-san, our school is quickly loosing accreditation and its reputation as one of the most prestigious schools in all of Japan. I'm begging you."

Naru took a moment to steal a glance at his assistant. Mai was shocked upon seeing his stoic gaze set on her, as if he was asking for her opinion.

Unsure of what to do, the brunette just nodded at him.

Naru sighed again, and turned to face the balding man. "We'll take the case."

* * *

><p>"Dang! What a snazzy school," Bou-san said as he craned his neck to see the entirety of the main building (which wasn't even the biggest building), "Makes me feel kinda out of place."<p>

Ayako scoffed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "When are you not out of place?"

"Hey now!"

Mai laughed, stretching as she hopped out of the van behind Naru. Despite the fact that Bou-san and Ayako were now in a romantic relationship, in reality, nothing had changed. They still fought more than ever and Mai couldn't have been any happier about it. Like, how awkward would it be if they started acting all lovey-dovey now?

"Mai."

Naru's voice startled her. Mai tore her gaze away from the red head and the monk. "S-Sorry. I'll get to work–"

Naru shook his head. "You'll be accompanying me and Lin."

The brunette had to stop herself from chocking and looked up at Naru with wide eyes. "Wh-What did you say?"

Naru obviously didn't feel like repeating himself, because he simply turned around and followed Headmaster Fumei through the school's front entrance. Mai rarely ever went on the tours with Naru and Lin. In any normal occasion, she was usually forced to move equipment.

Upon second thought, they had even taken the case itself due to Mai's suggestion (or her nod, technically). Both of these occurrences were very un-Naru like.

Was this…an _UPGRADE_?

Mai was content with the idea of being promoted from _unimportant-tea-fetching-assistant_ to _you're-an-important-asset-to-this-operation-and-I-require-your-opinion-(also,-go-get-my-tea)-assistant_. Putting some pep in her step, she made sure to follow closely behind her associate (who took the time to write down little details in his handy-dandy notebook).

"Right now we're in the main building. Down this corridor is the east wing which is comprised of classrooms for grades 1-6, and down that corridor is the west wing which is comprised of classrooms for grades 7-12. The east wing has minimal activity, so you'll only be investigating the west wing–"

Soon Headmaster Fumei's voice began to fade, Mai noticed, as did everything else. Instead, a piercing ring took its place, echoing loudly in Mai's ears. She looked down at Lin's feet, trying desperately to match their pace, but just couldn't seem to keep up. Why were they going so fast? Or was she just slowing down?

It occurred to her that it might have been easier just to look up (Lin and Naru weren't that hard to spot against the pallid hallway walls), but with a horribly cold sweat having come over her and a thick saliva filling her mouth, the girl was seriously afraid of puking if she did so. Before she knew it, it didn't even matter anymore. Not only were Lin's black shoes absent from her vision (Mai had quit trying to keep up long ago), but the world was beginning to turn white.

'_Shit. What the hell is going on, here?'_

She did the only thing she knew to do in situations like this: deep breaths. Needless to say, it worked for the most part. After a while, things started coming back to her (although, she hadn't a clue how long _that_ took).

Feeling was first…If relief were a physical thing, that's what it would've felt like. It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of cool water over her head. She realized soon enough that she was leaning with her back against a metal locker.

Then sound…The ringing eventually gave way to the sounds of shuffling clothes and footsteps on the pale colored tiles – movement. Whispers, too.

Lastly, her sight returned…When she finally regained her vision, she was staring down at her own feet.

There was something wrong. When she was with Lin and Naru, no one had been in the hallways with them. If that were the case, Mai thought vaguely, what was with all the noise? And the shadows swimming in and out of her peripheral vision?

It was at that time she noticed eyes on her. When she was brave enough to look up, Mai had found almost the entire hallway (which consisted of at least 20 teenage boys) had stopped to gape at her. _'Of course the bell would ring when I'm not aware of my surroundings.'_

Embarrassed more than anything, Mai took another deep breath before taking out her phone to make herself look occupied. With how her world spun so much earlier, the brunette's sense of direction was pretty much out the window. She had no clue how to start working her way back to Naru, or even the school's main entrance, for that matter! But how awkward would it be to just stand there, not doing anything while being stared at by a whole bunch of boys?

Pretty awkward…

'_I know! I'll call Bou-san!' _Being that Mai had just recently got the phone, and the one who had bought it for her in the first place was Takigawa himself, his and Ayako's were the only numbers she had registered at the moment.

She was about to press the send button when the phone's weight disappeared from her hand.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing here?"

She raised her brown eyes in shock. A boy her age, maybe a bit older, with messy chestnut hair towered over her, caging her against the metal locker. He was much taller than her (and probably Naru as well), and had a fairly muscular body, Mai noted. If the school had a basketball team, this guy would most likely be on it. "The names Hiromasa Takeda, but you can call me Masa."

Mai quickly went from being cute and timid to rather dangerously pissed. She glared daggers. "Give it back," she extended her hand in hopes that he would comply with her request/demand.

Hiromasa laughed at her attempt to be scary and tossed the object in the air before catching it. "This crappy thing?"

This spoiled rich kid! Just because the phone this guy was dangling just out of her reach was a fairly cheap model…! Bou-san wasn't the richest guy in the world (being a base player hardly paid that well), but he had used his hard-earned money to buy that for her.

"Well, my family can't really afford much nicer than this," Mai said, annoyed. "Now, if you don't mind, I really need to make a call." She reached for the phone, only to have Hiromasa stick it in his back pocket.

"Come get it."

A bunch of 'oooooh's and laughs were exchanged by the onlookers.

Mai's eyes widened to the point where it was beginning to hurt. She clenched her fist, wanting to punch this stranger in the face, but at the same time she was unable to do so. He was just doing this to get a rise from her, she thought, calming herself. She would be losing to him if she gave in now.

At that moment, her phone rang. It must have been Bou-san, judging from the cute rock tune she had set as his ringtone.

Mai broke out into a nervous sweat. One of Bou-san and Ayako's conditions in getting her a phone was that she had to answer it. If she didn't pick up, would they take it away from her? She had a pretty legit excuse, though…But if she told them the truth, they'd be wondering why it was in some random boy's back pocket anyway. Would they take it away regardless?

In order to get her phone back (and _quick_), she would need to think of a reasonable compromise…

"Let me answer it and…I'll give you my number."

The moment she said it, Mai cursed herself for not having actually thought through the deal before blurting it out. Naru was right; she really was an idiot sometimes.

But the suggestion had worked, although Hiromasa opened the phone and held it to her ear, without letting her touch it.

"Geez, Mai! Answer it on the third ring at least, will you?" Bou-san's voice came across the line.

Mai laughed, not in relief or at what he had said, but at the general situation she was in. "Sorry. I'm just getting used to this thing. You, of all people, should know how technology impaired I am."

She had expected him to laugh at her little joke, but he turned serious. "Where are you? Naru called me saying that he lost you?"

"Um," Mai paused to look around, but only found a hallway full of boys, "I'm not quite sure. All of these hallways look virtually the same."

"The boys are in between classes now, right? Just ask one of them the way–"

"Oh, so _you're_ telling me to ask for directions? Why don't you practice what you preach instead of getting lost every time we–"

"For the thousandth time, I was not– Eh? Oh, hold on, Ayako wants to talk to you."

Mai sighed, not stopping the smile from spreading across her face.

"Mai!"

"What's up?"

"How's it going? I'm sure you have a whole bunch of eyes on you right now. Getting any numbers from any guys?" Mai could hear the sound of Bou-san protesting in the background.

"You have _no_ idea, Ayako," Mai shook her head with a laugh.

Ayako squealed, "You realize I want all the details later on, right?"

"Of course you will. By the way, do I have unlimited texting?"

"Yes, why…? Oh my GOD, you really _are_ getting a guy's phone number?"

Mai laughed. "I'll tell you all about it later. Bye."

Hiromasa closed the phone and yanked it away from her before she could even think of a way to win it back from him. "Your number?"

"You better not give this to anybody else, understand?" Mai said, holding out her pinky like a child.

"I'll keep it all to myself," the tall brunette said and he shook on it. He winked at her as he took out his own phone to add her as a contact.

Mai sighed, whispering the number in his ear so that no one else could hear.

After he finished typing it in, Hiromasa gave back her phone. "Wait, what's your name?"

By the time he had asked, Mai managed to get herself quite a good distance away. "I never promised to give you that much."

* * *

><p>"A-Are you lost?"<p>

Mai hadn't even heard the footsteps approaching her from behind. The bell had rung long ago, so she thought she was wandering the hallways alone, but apparently not.

Mai turned and a small figure entered her vision. It looked like a girl with short black hair. She was tiny, because, not only was she short, but she was also the size of a toothpick. She was dressed in a baggy white shirt and shorts that reached just above her knees.

But what on earth was a girl doing at an all boy's school, Mai wondered. She smiled sheepishly at her question. "All of these hallways look exactly the same and I apparently have no sense of direction at the moment."

She laughed this cute bubbly laugh. "I know. It's very easy to get lost at this school."

Mai blushed, envious of this girl's natural beauty. She could easily get any guy if she tried, Mai observed, just like Masako. Well, except Naru. "My name's Mai. I'm here with Shibuya Psychic Research."

"Hmm. I was wondering why–" the girl hesitated, her face dropping. "Oh, it's nothing! My name is Shizu Sasaki. It's nice to meet you. Would you like me to show you to the front entrance?"

"Really? You would do that for me?" Mai inquired gratefully.

"I don't see the harm," Shizu said quietly as she started walking.

* * *

><p>"Thanks for showing me the way! It was nice meeting you." Mai waved as Shizu walked away in the direction they had just come from.<p>

"No problem! It was my pleasure." She said, disappearing around the corner.

"Mai, is that you?"

Mai turned, accidentally bumping into a worried Bou-san. "Oh hey, what's up?"

"Don't 'hey, what's up' me!" Mai was taken aback by the harsh tone in the older man's voice. "You took, like, _twenty minutes_ to get here! Where were you? What on earth were you doing?"

"I was lost! I told you that over the phone, didn't I?"

"Didn't I tell you to ask someone for directions?"

"Why should I? _You_ never want to ask for directions."

The monk pursed his lips and shook his head in disappointment. "You're a girl. It's different."

"Oh, so you want to make this a battle of gender? Should I bring your girlfriend into this?"

"You never answered my question! What were you doing?"

"Oh, so now _you're _avoiding the question? Hm?"

"Mai!"

Mai sighed and pouted, crossing her arms. She could never win an argument with him. He'd always use that really stern tone with her, and although Bou-san was usually passive guy, he was hella scary when mad. "I was trying to find my way back! That's what you do when you're lost, right? Although, this girl eventually found me and showed me the way back."

"Girl…?"

"Yeah, she was really cute, too. Kind of like Masako, except nicer."

"Is that a compliment or an insult, I wonder?"

Mai choked on her spit, whipping around to see said medium and Ayako side by side.

The red head bounced on the balls of her feet. "So Mai? What's this about you getting a guy's phone number?"

Bou-san's mouth dropped open and Mai glared at the older woman.

"Oh, that was a secret?"

* * *

><p>I'm so so so so so so so sorry for the delay, but I've had the worst writer's block everrrrrrr. I'm also going to England for a week soon, so it might take a while for the next chapter to be posted as well. I apologize in advance.<p>

UGHGHGHGH.

Haha! Ayako is a traitor.


	11. File 3: Justifying the Means :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 3: Justifying the Means

* * *

><p>"You never answered if he was cute or not!"<p>

Mai blushed as she hurriedly opened the door of the once empty classroom (which was now occupied as their base), not really wanting to recount the unfortunate event.

"Eh?" John sipped his tea gingerly as it was still fairly hot and looked up with his wide blue eyes at the four as they entered the base. "Who's cute?"

"No one, John," Mai said, plopping down next to the blond priest, her chair scraping up against the desk he was sitting in and incidentally causing some of the hot substance to burn his tongue. "Ah! Sorry."

"Mai," Naru said with a hard voice. He stood up from his seat, his arms crossed in a disapproving manner. "Where have you been?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Mai laughed helplessly, wondering why everyone kept asking her the same question. "I've been lost the entire time I've been in this stupid school."

Naru glared at her. "That wouldn't have happened if you had stayed with us."

Mai held her hands up in defense. "I have a _completely_ valid excuse for that."

"No she doesn't! She was busy talking to guys!"

"Leave it alone, Bou-san! She hasn't even told us what happened yet."

"_Thank you_, Ayako!"

"Well," Naru said, his dangerously low voice getting everyone's attention, "Why don't you start by telling us why you wandered off from me and Lin."

Mai took a deep breath, wondering how she could explain the experience. "Well, you see, I don't really know what happened…It started with the sound of Fumei-san's voice fading. I started feeling hot and nauseated and dizzy, so I looked down at Lin's feet, but they disappeared. I wanted to look up so I could find you easier, but I was so afraid I was going to throw up. And at some point, my vision went totally white. When I regained my senses, I was standing in the middle of a hallway crowded with guys!"

"Eh? Didn't the same thing happen to you when we were moving equipment, Masako?" John said, concerned.

"Yeah. That's why we went to the infirmary together," Ayako confirmed.

"Maybe it could be like the Urado case when the two of you were getting the same vibes?" Bou-san suggested.

"Continue, Mai," Naru said, followed by a sigh.

"Well…the whole hallway's attention was on me and I got super nervous and embarrassed, so I took out my phone to call you, Bou-san. And that's when this total assho – I mean, jerk, came up to me and took my phone! He started teasing me and even put it in his back pocket so that I couldn't get it back. But then it started ringing, and I was afraid you'd get mad at me if I didn't answer it, so I told him I'd give him my number if he let me answer it–"

Ayako pouted. "You never said if he was cute or not!"

Mai hesitated, but finally answered since she knew the red head was going to keep prodding about it. "Okay, so he was a _little_ cute. He probably plays a sport, too, because he was really muscular."

"What!" Bou-san stood, enraged.

The brunette just ignored him, going back to her story. "So I snuck off while he was entering it into his phone. Oh! And afterwards this girl helped me find my way back to the main office."

The stoic Chinese man next to Mai lifted his head; her words had jogged his memory. "You said a girl?"

Forgetting his jealousy (although he himself would never admit it as such), Naru looked at Lin. "Fumei-san said himself that the only females at this school should be the three present in our team."

"That's _right_! I thought something was up when you said you met a girl." Bou-san confirmed with a nod.

"That's weird. I could have sworn…" Mai frowned. "Well, her name was Shizu Sasaki. Does that count for something?"

"Well, well. You actually did something right for once," Naru said with a rare smile as he and Lin retreated to the taller man's laptop to do some research on this person (they had gotten permission to access the school's database).

It's too bad that Mai was too shocked by the actual smile to come up with a good retort.

* * *

><p>After a while of researching this 'Shizu Sasaki' and having a disappointing number of results, Naru and Masako had gone on a walk around the school together to scope out an estimate of spirits (much to Mai's obvious displeasure). This gave the others some time to eat lunch before they really had to get to work.<p>

"So am I the only one who was surprised when Naru didn't bust a cap in someone's ass about this whole forceful-number-exchange business?" Ayako inquired as she took a bite of her sandwich.

Mai scowled over at the older woman. She hated talking about Naru in front of Lin. After all, who knew what the stoic duo talked about when they were alone? For all they knew, Lin could've recounted every embarrassing conversation they've ever had back to Naru!

"I sure as hell was," Bou-san snorted.

"I was." John raised his hand.

"Not you too, John! You guys know Naru doesn't care about me in that way," Mai said, her cheeks tinting red.

"On the contrary, Mai," John said with a comforting smile, "I think Naru cares for you deeply. He shows it in his own special way, of course."

She looked up at Lin to find that he was actually looking at them, paying attention to the conversation. Her heart skipped a beat. "Whatever. It really wasn't much of a big deal anyway," Mai sighed, turning down her music and taking out an ear bud. "Nothing I can't handle."

Bou-san rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised you were stupid enough to give him your real number."

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Bou-san, don't tease Mai like that."

"Ayako-san is right. Have you guys tried not to fight for longer than five minutes?"

"John! You _know_ I'm never the one to start!"

"Oh, I can name a couple of arguments that you've started yourself, Mai!"

Lin sighed, turning back to his laptop.

* * *

><p>Crying.<p>

_Mai gasped, opening her eyes only to find another shade of black different from the back of her eyelids. After a moment of trying to discern where she was, her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and she found herself lying on the floor in what looked like a Chemistry classroom._

_What the hell? Why couldn't she find herself in a chair every once in a while?_

_Dream Naru stood in front of her, his hand extended for her to take. He was glowing against the black backdrop of the room, and Mai was too, she noticed as she reached up to take his hand._

_Once she was standing upright, Mai turned to her dream guy (pun intended). "Naru…is someone crying?"_

_Naru looked solemnly over to a cabinet in the back of the room, nodding to it. "In there," he said quietly, urging her to investigate. A man of few words as always._

_Mai tiptoed over to the cabinet and attempted to slide open its door. She was shocked to find it wouldn't budge, and huffed before trying unsuccessfully to open it again. "What the–?"_

"_They locked it." _

_Mai almost missed the inaudible voice that came from within the cabinet, but she stopped herself from asking a plethora of questions and decided to start looking for the key (which was thankfully found sitting on a table not far away)._

"_Are you okay?" Mai inquired when she finally opened the door, revealing a small figure sitting on the floor of the cabinet with their knees against their chest._

"_I'm fine," the person said, standing. _

_Mai almost choked when the glow of the moon allowed her a good look at the stranger's face. She was also suddenly thrown for a loop when she realized that the person whom she thought was a girl was dressed in a boy's uniform. "S-Shizu?" _

_The boy stopped rubbing his teary eyes to look up curiously at the girl. "Do I know you?"_

"_No-No…I just," Mai stuttered, unsure what to say. She had a strange feeling that it would turn out badly if she mentioned how she met him. She quickly changed the subject. "What on earth were you doing locked in that cabinet?"_

_Forgetting all about his previous question, Shizu looked down at the ground in embarrassment. " Just a couple of stupid bullies…"_

"_What!" Mai exclaimed, outraged, "Who did this to you?"_

"_Does it really matter? They'll get what they deserve, in time." _

_Mai was shocked into silence at how menacing the words sounded coming from the seemingly innocent boy's mouth, the look he was giving her only giving more credit to his words._

_She looked back only to find that dream Naru had vanished as well as the rest of the classroom. Soon everything around her, including Shizu, had disappeared into the black void as well._

* * *

><p>Mai gasped as she woke from her sleep. She felt the figure above her freeze and looked up to find none other than her own boss hovering over her. "N-N-Naru!"<p>

He dropped the blanket and let it fall over her, straightening. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

The sun was setting outside of the window and the classroom was enveloped in a warm orange color. Mai shifted, sitting up in the uncomfortable wooden desk chair. "No, you didn't. I had a dream."

Naru sat down next to her. "Go on."

After explaining her dream, but leaving out the part about her stoic boss being in it, Mai and Naru pondered over many things.

"He did respond to the name Shizu _and_ looked exactly like the person I saw in the hallway today. Does that mean I just mistook him for a girl and they're the same person?"

Naru said with a sigh, "But that still doesn't explain why we found nothing about him in the school's database. Just the name should have pulled up his file."

"Maybe he's using a nickname?" Lin suggested.

Mai jumped, not even realizing he was in the room with them. "I guess he could've been. Shizu could be a shortened version of names like Shizuko or Shizuka…though those are both girl names…" The brunette ruffled her hair frustrated. "No wonder I mistook him for a girl!"

"Oh! What did you guys find when you and Masako went around the school?" Mai inquired, almost forgetting to ask.

Her question, however, seemed to upset him. "Hara-san was unable to detect anything spiritual," Naru said with a sigh.

"Bummer," Mai replied, biting her lip. Was he beginning to think this case was a waste of time? He'd suggested the activity might be bullies when the case had first been presented to them, too...What if it really _was_ just bullies and there was nothing at this school and he blamed her because she had advised him to take the case?

That would be a_ big_ bummer.

Naru stood. "Well, it's almost dinner," he said motioning to how the sun had already set, "Do you need to go back to the dorm before we eat?"

"Ah, no, I'm good," Mai said with a smile, though internally she was still fighting with herself. The three set off to the cafeteria where they met the rest of their teammates and sat down at an empty table.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Bou-san teased, poking her cheek.

"No," Mai replied smugly, wrestling his hand away, "Those chairs are ridiculously uncomfortable!"

Ayako laughed. "Don't complain about the chairs when you were the one that fell asleep on them! By the way Naru, I'm surprised you didn't wake her up."

"Well," said the dark haired teen, "Mai's dreams tend to be valuable on cases."

'_Is that the only thing you need me for? Dreams and tea?' _The brunette glared at him, before tuning out of the conversation as Naru regaled the team with his younger assistant's dream and what information they had gathered from it.

She took the time to let her eyes wander the cafeteria. Most everyone was staring at them, probably wondering why they were at the school in the first place. Maybe they already knew? The others seemed to be going about their daily routine and minding their own business.

Mai looked over the faces of the many boys and went about picking out the cute ones (which happened to be quite a lot). She was surprised Ayako hadn't been desperately trying to get her together with anyone yet. The priestess seemed to think that getting her a boyfriend would move Naru to some sort of action, but Mai had little hopes that that plan would work (plus, it seemed morally wrong).

That's when she saw his deep brown eyes on her. Wait…wasn't that…? Yes, the gods were cursing her.

_Hiromasa Takeda._

Mai bolted up from the table, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Um…I…need to go to the bathroom?" She began walking as fast as possible in the direction opposite of where she saw Hiromasa.

"Bring someone with you!" Bou-san called worriedly.

"I can go to the bathroom myself!" She'd said it loud enough for their table to hear, but mentally cursed as the cafeteria's walls made her statement audible to everyone else in the room. She rushed out of the building.

John frowned, concerned. "Do they even _have_ a girl's restroom at this school?"

* * *

><p>Okay, so I'm going away to England for about 12 days. Don't expect to hear anything from me in those days. Hopefully when I come back, though, I will be in the writing spirit! I think I actually want to make the next case in England, so I'll make sure to take good notes while I'm there!<p>

By the way, I'm kind of disappointed in how lately the reviews have gone from actual comments to…one word comments. Or a smiley face. But thank you for taking the time to review, anyway. I always appreciate them, even if they are just a smiley face. Thanks for all of the alerts and favorites as well!

I'm so happy I have good readers.

(Hope you liked the chapter!)


	12. File 3: Justifying the Means :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 3: Justifying the Means

* * *

><p>"Eh? We have a curfew?" Mai inquired, let down. "Shouldn't we be investigating at night?"<p>

Instead of eating dinner and risking a chance to get cornered by Hiromasa Takeda, which she now regretted due to her rumbling stomach, Mai had called Bou-san and told them she would be staying in the base because she wasn't feeling well. She was disappointed, however, when Naru and Lin came back to tell her that it was almost curfew.

"The activity happens mainly during classes. If something _does_ happen overnight, we have cameras set up in all of the main hotspots," Naru said as a matter-of-fact.

Mai looked over at Lin and found that all of the monitors had been set up on a table behind him. They must've done it when she was asleep, then. She hadn't even noticed them earlier!

"Lin, what about you? You should get some rest too," Mai said curiously, her and Naru watching as he typed away on his laptop.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Lin looked over, giving a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

Relishing the rare display, Mai nodded and followed behind Naru as they made their way to the dorms. And, as if her day weren't bad enough already, her stomach growled loudly when they were passing a vending machine. For the third time that day, Mai found herself cursing her horrible luck.

She clenched her hands and tensed, hoping maybe her boss hadn't heard the horribly unattractive noise, but alas, the dark haired teenager stopped and turned around to smirk at her condescendingly.

Her face flooded bright red. Of course that would happen in front of the person whom she least wanted it to.

"Don't skip dinner if you're going to be hungry later, idiot," Naru said as he walked over to the machine. "What do you want? I think I have some spare change on me…"

"No!" Mai said and just shook her head in embarrassment. "You really don't need to–"

Her stomach protested, growling again.

"Really?" Naru slipped some yen into the coin slot, raising his eyebrow. "Well, if you don't tell me what to get now, then I'll have wasted 120 yen."

"Just…" Mai held her breath, looking at her options. "Uh, F4."

Naru pressed the buttons and retrieved the bag of chips from the bottom of the machine. "Here." He threw the bag at her, smiling when it hit her square in the face.

* * *

><p>"So instead of eating that horrible cafeteria food like the rest of us, you wasted Naru's money on a bag of chips?" Masako inquired, covering her obvious frown with a kimono sleeve.<p>

"The cafeteria food actually wasn't that bad," Ayako commented with a shrug as she lay back on the bed.

Mai rolled her eyes at the short haired drama queen. "It was only 120 yen, and he practically forced me to get something. Besides, we can't all afford to eat at 5 star restaurants every night, Masako."

Masako huffed, leaving Ayako to ask the obvious question. "Why'd you skip dinner anyway?"

"Eh? Oh, I saw Hiromasa and I was afraid he was going to come and bother us or start a scene or something," Mai said as she sighed for what seemed to be the millionth time that day. "Besides, you know how Bou-san would've reacted if he knew he was the guy from this morning."

"That's true. But you could've just told Naru and he would've been professional about it."

"_'I'm sorry, but it would be greatly appreciated if you would refrain from harassing my assistant in the future.'_" Masako said, lowering her voice an octave in a fairly good imitation of Naru. Ayako and Mai clapped their hands, praising her on how good it sounded.

"Masako, that was _so_ legit," Mai managed to say between laughs.

"And that's exactly what Naru would've said! This is too good," Ayako exclaimed.

"Thank you, thank you," Masako said politely followed by a small bow.

* * *

><p>Bou-san, John, and Naru took the opportunity to stare at the wall that separated their room from the girls'. Their hysterical laughter was probably too muffled to hear across the hall, but the students on the other side of their room must've been having a hell of a time doing anything with all the noise.<p>

Bou-san chuckled to himself, imagining a number of things that could possibly make them laugh so hard. "I wonder what they're laughing at."

John laughed too, but it was more of a nervous one. "I wonder if the people next to them will be able to go to _sleep_. Do they know we can hear them?"

Naru rolled his eyes.

* * *

><p>Ayako had to shake the small brunette awake the next morning. Mai gasped, her body stiff against the bed. "What? What? Why were you shaking me? Is something wrong?"<p>

The older woman hovering over her sighed in relief. "No, it's just…you were becoming restless in your sleep. I thought I should wake you up before you knocked something over." The priestess gestured to all of the pillows that had once been on Mai's bed, which were now strewn across the room. "Besides, it's time to get up anyway. It's already 9 o'clock."

"Oh, sorry," Mai said, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Now get dressed! Masako and Naru are in the base alone together, and who knows what they're doing in there," Ayako added slyly.

"No way! Lin's there with them."

"Nope! Lin and the others left earlier to do some research."

"Eh? M-Masako wouldn't…"

"Oh, but she _would_. And Naru might not say no. You know how she's holding something over his head."

Mai jumped up, getting dressed faster than she had ever thought was possible, before running full speed through the empty hallways and into the base. Naru was seated at the teacher's desk and Masako was sitting a safe distance away. They were both diligently going through what looked like a stack of newspapers until the brunette had slammed the sliding door open.

"Mai, what on earth possessed you to run all the way here?" her boss inquired with a raised eyebrow.

But Mai couldn't answer. She was kneeling in the threshold, attempting to catch her breath, which had been so far depleted to the point where she couldn't even manage to reply. After a minute or so, she managed to finally choke out something. "I…just…_ugh_, I need to do some endurance training. This is ridiculous."

"That might come in handy," Masako said simply, not even lifting a finger to help the brunette. "It might help you lose some weight, too."

Mai's head snapped up and she glared long and hard at the medium. There was a plethora of different insults she could've thrown back, but she decided to save her precious breath.

Ayako happened to arrive at that moment and stood behind Mai, laughing. "I can't believe you seriously ran here!"

"Shut up," Mai breathed out, "Help me up."

"Hai, hai," Ayako complied, feeling bad for tricking the younger girl.

Naru rolled his eyes at the pair's antics before looking back at his newspaper. "After school lets out today, we will be conducting interviews with the students who seem to be experiencing the most activity. In the meantime, Lin, Bou-san, and John have gone to this town's municipal office to view the local family registry and see if they can find anything on this Shizu Sasaki person."

Mai went over to the tea machine, getting straight to work before Naru could even ask her. Ayako sat down next to Masako taking a newspaper for herself. "What's with the newspapers, anyway?"

"We are looking over all of the local newspapers from the past ten years, hoping to luck out and find an article on the construction of the school and what had previously been on this plot of land," Naru said. "Thankfully this town only has a monthly newspaper."

Ayako whistled, looking at the pile of newspapers that had yet to be looked through. "It's still a lot, though."

Mai handed Naru his tea, offering Masako and Ayako their own cup as well. "Shouldn't Headmaster Fumei know what was on this plot of land before they built of the school? Didn't he overlook the construction?"

"Already asked," Naru replied with a frown. "Apparently, whatever was here before he acquired the property had already been torn down."

"Ugh," Mai groaned, grabbing her own stack before sitting down across from Masako. "I hate reading newspapers! This is going to be miserable."

"Hey, Mai," Ayako said with a smile, lightly kicking the smaller girl's shin with her shiny red stiletto heels. "I bet I can find the article before you can."

"Oh? You want to bet?" Mai said, laughing. "I was known as the crossword puzzle master in middle school! If I'm that good at finding certain words, I'm sure I can find this article before you. You cannot defeat me!"

"It's on!"

Naru sighed, taking a sip of his tea to calm him. It was too early in the morning for this.

* * *

><p>"Oh! I found it! I found the article," Ayako said finally, after reading through at least five different newspapers.<p>

"That's no fair!" Mai said. She pouted when the red head stuck out her tongue. "You cheater!"

The priestess stood up and brought it to Naru. "It was a hospital built just after WWII, but later on they made it into a secondary school. It was closed and torn down 23 years ago due to financial issues. Then, five years ago, the new school was finally finished being built and was opened for incoming students."

Naru was about to comment when the classroom door opened and Bou-san walked in with a huge grin on his face. "Guess what?"

"What did you find?" Naru inquired, ignoring his question.

"We got some _really_ good info!" the monk stated, his grin only widening, "Mai and Lin were right. Shizu Sasaki is actually Shizuko Sasaki: a boy of 15 years currently enrolled at Kaiyo Academy. And get this; he's the son of none other than _Fumei Sasaki_."

Mai gasped. "No way."

"Yes way!" Bou-san replied, ruffling her hair so that it became a mess on top of her head, "Fumei Sasaki was married to Hisoka Nakashima and they had Shizuko one year later. They divorced five years ago, however, which was weird because it coincided with the construction of the new school. After that, Hisoka Nakashima moved halfway across Japan for some reason."

Naru put his thinking face on. How did all of the pieces connect? This Shizuko Sasaki person obviously had something to do with the case since Mai had dreamed about him, but what exactly? He had a feeling Fumei-san wasn't telling the whole story.

"This is all too complicated for me," Ayako said, resting her head in her hand.

Naru looked up at the clock on the wall. "It's almost time for classes to let out. Mai and Lin will be with me for interviews. The rest of you can relax and go back to the dorms."

As if on queue, the school bell rang.

"See you later, then," John bid them farewell as he, Masako, Ayako, and Bou-san left the room.

Mai waved and sat down in one of the desk chairs. "So how many people will we be interviewing? Are they going to call them one at a time or what?"

"There's only three or so. I guess we could interview one at a time while the other two wait in the hallway," Naru suggested. "Mai, I'll leave you in charge."

Mai stared at him for a minute, trying hard to control her frantic heart rate. "You want me to…conduct the interview?"

"Is that a problem?" Naru inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Despite his sarcastic response (which Mai normally would've frowned at), the brunette blushed, shaking her head. "No, it's just…" Her blush only reddened further as she looked down into her lap. "I'm happy that you're giving me a little more responsibility."

Naru attempted to come up with something to say, but the door of the classroom slid open before he could manage to do so. He and his two assistants looked up to find the three people they'd be interviewing.

To the far right was Shizuko Sasaki, looking truly miserable standing next to his towering classmates with his short stature. In the middle was a brooding bleached blonde teenager that the three SPR members had not met before. And to the left of the trio was Hiromasa Takeda with a scowl and crossed arms.

Mai was shocked into silence. Hiromasa brightened when he saw the brunette's face and his frown was soon replaced with a Cheshire grin as he went over to her.

"Hey, there, sweetheart."

* * *

><p>I'm finally back from England, and let me tell you, I'm so happy to sleep in my own bed! I really want to tell you how my trip went, but I also really want to put Mai in my shoes in the next case when SPR goes to England and have her experience what I did! I think you guys will be kind of surprised by it.<p>

Anyway, people have been asking how this story relates to my others. It doesn't. My other stories do, though. Hanging Haunted, The Sweet Taste of Death, and The Inconveniences are a trilogy I guess you could say. After I realized how horribly OOC they were, I decided to start Behind Closed Doors and make everything more…Ghost Hunt like. In this one, Mai doesn't know Naru's past or that he likes her.

Sorry for the confusion! Hope you liked this chapter and thanks so much for all of the lengthy reviews! I was so happy while reading them!


	13. File 3: Justifying the Means :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 3: Justifying the Means

* * *

><p>Mai looked at the notepad in her hands where Naru had kindly written down some regulatory questions for her to ask. She sighed before finally reading off the first one. "So what kind of activity have you been experiencing that connects you with the case?"<p>

Hiromasa sat carefully balanced on the two back legs of his chair with his leg propped up on the table in between Mai and himself. He examined his nails, uninterested in the interview. Mai rolled her eyes, wondering what the sudden cause of all of her misfortune was.

"You realize this is an interview, right? You're supposed to answer the questions, not ignore me," Mai deadpanned when he refused to answer her.

Hiromasa gave her a pout before taking his feet off of the table and falling forwards. "I'm mad at you," he said like a two year old.

Mai blinked. "Excuse me?" This boy had met her less than 48 hours ago and they had only conversed once in that amount of time. Hell, he didn't even know her name! What could she possibly have done to upset him?

"You never texted me back."

'_Oh geez.'_

Well, truth be told, she hadn't looked at her phone since the whole incident happened. Chances were that she had put it on silent afterwards, too.

Of course, Mai thought of saying something rude, but decided (since her boss was watching her quite intently) that she would ignore Hiromasa's fooling around and put on a professional façade. "After our interview I will gladly talk to you about more personal matters, Takeda-san." She ended the sentence with a smile.

'_So I can tell you off.'_

"Didn't I tell you to call me Masa?" Hiromasa teased.

The smile on Mai's face became strained. "I prefer to call you by your surname. I feel it's more appropriate."

"Well then, I won't answer your questions until you call me Masa."

Mai's smile completely disappeared, a frown quickly taking its place. "_Listen–_"

The teenager grinned, knowing he had finally hit home. "You know, you're cute when you're mad."

Mai glanced over at Naru. What should she do? She didn't want to give in to Hiromasa and call him by his first name, but she wouldn't be able to get the interview done otherwise. Her boss was standing in the corner of the room closest to the sliding door with a pensive Lin at his side. The look on his face…well, let's just say it was darker than usual. Mai blamed herself for not being able to conduct an interview properly.

Well, Naru entrusted her with the interviews, so she was going to get through them at any cost. "…Masa-san, can you please tell me what kind of activity have you been experiencing that connects you with the case?"

Figuring that 'Masa-san' was as much as he was going to get from her, Hiromasa smiled, leaning back in his chair again. "Nothing much. Books are thrown at me, I get locked in rooms with no locks, I hear voices sometimes, lockers opening..."

"Voices?" Mai inquired. "Are you able to make out what these voices are saying?"

"Eh? No, not really. I just assumed it was that kid Shizuko trying to freak me out, though."

"It sounded like Shizuko's voice?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"So," Mai said, completely forgetting about the questions her boss had written down for her, "where do these things usually take place?"

"A lot of the time it happens in the hallways. Sometimes in the classroom. The weird thing is that I'm always with that little freak when it happens," Hiromasa spat, looking back at the door where Shizuko and the other interviewee, Hisashi, were waiting outside.

'_Little freak?'_ Mai thought, disgusted at the tone in his voice. She remembered how Shizuko was locked in the cabinet in her last dream. "Can you tell me how your relationship with Shizuko is?"

"Eh? That kid?" Hiromasa questioned. "He's nothing but an easy tease."

* * *

><p>Mai leaned over Lin's shoulder and sighed. Had interviewing been so hard before, she wondered. "They all said the same things: flying books, lockers opening, voices. The only difference in their answers was that Shizuko claimed he'd never been locked in a room with no lock before. Could that mean something, Naru?"<p>

Naru looked down, his hand covering his mouth in thought. "I have a theory."

"Yeah?" Mai inquired, curiosity piqued at his statement. A theory was better nothing, and at this moment they were at a dead end. A standstill. _Deadlocked_.

"It's possible that Shizuko might possess PK-T, or telekinesis, and that the stress from being bullied by Hiromasa must've manifested into a poltergeist. That could be why activity only ever happens when Hiromasa and Shizuko are together."

Mai was grateful that she could finally understand everything he was talking about. "But what about Hisashi? Why is he involved?"

"Hisashi mentioned being Hiromasa's old childhood friend. It's likely that he was just dragged into everything because they hang out together," Naru reasoned.

Mai smiled, connecting some of the dots as well. "It all makes sense then! That could also explain why Masako didn't sense any spiritual presence when you two went around the school, because it was all caused by humans," she said, proud that she had retained little factoids like these throughout her time at SPR. How could she forget it, though? She had learned it on their first case together…

"Yes," Naru murmured, turning to gaze at her.

Mai frowned. They were making connections left and right; the case was finally starting to make sense! But for some reason, Naru looked troubled, as if he were maybe forgetting something. That reminded the brunette, why had they been scrounging newspapers to find out the property's history earlier that day? Was Naru just keeping their options open? That must've been it. So then why did he look so uneasy?

"Naru, is everything alright?" Mai inquired, concerned.

He boss paused momentarily before looking away. "You're close with Hiromasa. Doesn't he seem a bit dangerous?"

Mai nearly fell back and tripped over a desk. So he wasn't worried about the case at all? Is this what he was thinking about? "Close? We met yesterday!"

"He called you sweetheart."

"That's only because I won't tell him my name," Mai laughed, her mood lifted. Who wouldn't be happy if the guy they liked was worried about them? "We're not close. In fact, I regret meeting him at all."

A wave of relief washed over Naru. "Try not to let him influence your work anymore," he said, referring to their interview earlier.

"It's not like I can _control _his actions, Naru."

"I'm not telling you to," he countered, not leaving her any room to talk back. "Lin, do you have the PK-T test on your laptop?"

"Yes."

"PK-T test? Is that like the same thing I did when you guys tested me for psychic abilities?" Their previous argument was already out of Mai's mind.

"The two are close, but not exactly the same. This test, like the other, was inspired by a coin tossing contest. It consists of an algorithm that will randomly generate zeroes and ones instead of heads or tails. Mathematical laws dictate that the average between the 0s and 1s should be 50/50. Someone with telekinetic abilities should be able to manipulate this number, however," Naru explained. "Do you understand, Mai?"

"I do…I think."

"Lin, go ahead and pull up the test. I'll call Headmaster Fumei and tell him to call Shizuk–"

The door opened and Shizuko popped his head into the room. "Sorry. I think I left my bag."

The three SPR members stared at him in silence.

He laughed nervously. "…What?"

* * *

><p>"What?" Mai was in shock as she looked over her boss' shoulder at the results of the test. Shizuko watched them questioningly, wondering if he had done something wrong. "<em>'Results are within normal statistical averages'<em>? You're kidding me!"

Shizuko gave Mai a look. "I told you I wasn't psychic."

Naru sighed, pushing his chair back into his assistant and ignoring the pained noise she made as he did so. "It doesn't matter if you believe yourself not to be psychic. You could possess psychic abilities and not even know it. For example, this was Mai's case."

"Eh?" Shizuko looked at Mai unbelievingly. "_You're_ a psychic?"

Mai raised an eyebrow, offended by the tone in his voice. "Are you implying something?"

"So you were suspecting that I was the one doing all of those things?" Shizuko directed his question at Naru, ignoring the brunette.

Naru sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It's not as if we thought you were doing it intentionally. Some people's stress can manifest into poltergeists and cause havoc without that person knowing."

"Man," Mai sighed, as she walked over and sat next to Lin. "I thought we had something for sure! Looks like we're at a dead end again."

Naru looked up from his thoughts, eyes wide as he had a revelation. "No…not a dead end…"

"What did you say?" Mai cocked her head, not catching his statement.

"Mai, call everyone involved with the case to this room. That includes Headmaster Fumei."

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, everyone was finally gathered into the base. The room was filled with a pregnant silence, and the vibe Naru was giving off wasn't helping ease the tension. No one besides the stoic man himself (and Lin, of course) knew exactly what they were doing or why they had been called to the base.<p>

Mai took a few moments to look around as the last few were shuffling into the room. She was sitting in the front row closest to the window that overlooked a track field. Hiromasa made a move to sit next to or diagonal from her, but Ayako, Bou-san, and John had managed to box her in and steal all of the seats closest.

Instead, he and Shizuko ended up reluctantly sitting next to each other in the front row of desks. Hisashi, the third person they had interviewed, was the last person to finally skulk into the room. He fell into the desk next to Hiromasa silently.

Headmaster Fumei stood near the teacher's desk, which Naru had gladly taken a seat on top of, and Lin was, as usual, at the table that they had set up with the monitors with Masako standing next to him.

Naru began speaking as soon as the last person had entered the room and shut the door. Mai returned her attention to her boss.

"It has come to my attention that you have been lying to us about the situation at this school, Fumei-san," Naru started with a frown.

Mai would've laughed at the perfectly timed chorus of gasps if she hadn't been so surprised herself. She looked at her boss in shock. "Naru, what are you saying?"

The balding man laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "I have no clue what you're insinuating."

Naru's eyes shifted from his assistant's worried face to the principal. "You say you don't know what was on this piece of land before the construction, but that seems a little strange due to the fact that both your ex-wife and late ex-brother-in-law went to a school on this property 23 years ago. It's also a bit suspicious that you and your wife divorced just as you were clear to build your own school on the very same property."

"My mom?" Shizuko mumbled, suddenly listening a lot harder.

"Since you've been hiding information from us, it's been quite a challenge solving this case," Naru said, a smirk forming on his lips, "but I've finally connected the pieces."

Mai blushed. She was torn between being unable to stop herself from thinking how attractive her boss was when he looked smug and feeling bad for the balding headmaster and how much he resembled a fish with his mouth opening and closing like that.

"Twenty-three years ago, the previous school that was on this property was shut down and demolished because of financial issues. These financial issues were due to a lawsuit that was filed against the school by a family whose son had died a victim of bullying."

Headmaster Fumei began shaking. By now he had his head down, eyes focused firmly on the ground.

"That little boy was Shizu Nakashima, the only brother of your ex-wife Hisoka Nakashima." Naru's voice was deafeningly loud in the tense silence of the classroom. Mai began to sweat at the intensity, her legs sticking uncomfortably to the wooden chair she was sitting in.

Fumei leaned against the teacher's desk, looking pale and as if he were going to fall over. "He had always been bullied. And although the teachers had seen the signs, they did nothing to stop it," the balding man took over for Naru, "But one day the bullies took it too far. They wanted to 'spook' Shizu by putting his head underwater for a few minutes, but held him down for too long and incidentally drowned him in the school's bathroom sink. Instead of going after the bullies themselves, who were too young to fully comprehend the severity of what they had done, Shizu's family filed the lawsuit against the school for the neglect of their son and won."

Headmaster Fumei lowered his head again, this time to stare at the polished wood of the teacher's desk, but directed his words to his son. "We had named you after him, Shizuko. I had wondered if maybe the name itself would put too much stress on your mother, but she said we had to do it. We had to have a part of her brother live on. Poor Shizu only got 15 years to enjoy living and even then he was suffering through bullying."

Ayako gasped. "That would explain why you and your wife divorced! You wanted to build your school here, but she had so many horrible memories…"

"So the boy Mai was dreaming about wasn't Shizuko, but Shizu?" John concluded.

"Yes," Naru confirmed with certainty, "The spirit at this school is Shizu's. It's also safe to say that Shizu's spirit has taken it upon himself to protect those who are easy targets of bullying. Any sort of paranormal occurrences that take place are probably done so in an incidence of bullying," he said, eyeing Hiromasa closely. The headmaster followed Naru's gaze with a glare, knowing that it meant either his son was an object of harassment by said student or the opposite. Most likely the former.

A pair of dark eyes narrowed and Hiromasa stood, slamming his hands against the desk he had just been seated at. "What are you saying?"

Naru hopped off of the teacher's desk, a single eyebrow quirked up as if to challenge the taller teenager. Mai leaned back, shocked that Naru would even start a fight (or what seemed like it was about to be a fight).

Bou-san jumped up, quickly getting in between the two before anything could happen. He flashed a smile. "Okay, okay. No fighting in the presence of the ladies, right?"

Hiromasa's head whipped around to look at the three whom Bou-san was motioning too. He looked almost surprised, as if he had forgotten their presence, but it turned into a pout as hell fell back into his seat. Naru's eyes immediately focused on Mai and he cleared his throat and continued.

"Matsuzaki-san and Takigawa-san will be performing cleansings on all of the students involved in the case, but we will need signed parental consent from each of them as soon as possible. Brown-san will be performing exorcisms in all of th…"

Mai tuned out, leaning back into her seat.

That was the end of that. Case closed.

* * *

><p>Sorry to keep everyone waiting. The last little section I found so hard to write for some reason. Let me know if you find any errors or have any questions! Happy Reading! BY THE WAY: Good job on helping me get to 100 reviews! Yay!<p> 


	14. File 3: Justifying the Means :: 5

Behind Closed Doors

File 3: Justifying the Means

* * *

><p>Mai sighed, shifting the box in her arms as she watched Ayako and Bou-san finishing up their cleansing ceremonies on their respective students (Hisashi and Shizuko). They had finished Hiromasa's earlier, during which Mai had conveniently hidden away in their dorm room with Masako.<p>

"Is this what I pay you for, Mai?" The brunette whipped around to find Naru leaning on the other side of the threshold, giving her his best 'get back to work' face. "I want everything packed up and ready to go by the time John-san finishes his sweep of the school grounds."

Mai sighed, not in the mood for his bossiness today. "John's not even starting until these two are done. That gives me plenty of time."

"Would you just get it done with?"

"Fine." Mai huffed, turning on her heels and walking as fast down the corridor as was safe for the fragile equipment in her arms.

After many corners turned, Mai was afraid she might be lost once again. She looked down the empty hallway and shivered at the certainly haunted vibe it gave. It was Sunday, everyone's day off, and there wasn't a single soul in sight much less a working light on.

She shifted, not knowing whether or not she should just find her own way or head back to the base (in which Naru would certainly roll his eyes and treat her as if she were an incompetent five year old).

A bang startled her out of her thoughts and the rather heavy box almost slipped from her clammy hands. Mai tensed, hugging the item in her arms close and peeling her eyes open more than she thought even possible. She hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary.

Another bang followed by a muted voice. Mai shivered again, wondering if the air conditioning had suddenly turned on. Was someone still in the building, she wondered, peeking into every classroom as she slowly began to pass.

She audibly gasped when she saw Hiromasa, with his back facing her and his hands in his pockets, kicking over desks in a classroom nearby. He turned around when he heard the faint noise.

Mai's lips formed a straight line and she turned around in the opposite direction of where she had originally been heading, fully intent on asking Naru to call the Headmaster. Hiromasa yanked her into the classroom. "What the hell are you doing here?" he inquired in a harsh whisper, although there was most likely no one around to hear them anyway.

"I'm…" Mai blushed when she realized their proximity. "I'm trying to find my way out of this stupid school. We're leaving today. I was just packing up the van…"

"You realize you were going the wrong way, right?"

"Sh-shut up!" the brunette barked, embarrassed with her horrible sense of direction. She shrugged out of his grasp and hugged the box closer to her. "What are you doing here? You were supposed to immediately leave school grounds after the cleansing because of your–"

"Suspension, I know," Hiromasa sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair, "I was here to blow off some steam."

Mai glanced around at the desks, the majority of which had either been tipped over or thrown across the room. "I see…"

"Anyway," Hiromasa leaned close, a look Mai had never seen before crossing over his face, "Now that we're _alone_, we can finallytalk. Whenever I see you, that boss of yours is always hovering over you like a protective mother hen."

"Naru? There's no way."

Hiromasa blinked. "You don't realize how he looks at you? I thought you two were totally an item?"

"What?" Mai said, horrified (but also secretly happy) at how people who didn't know their true relationship saw them together. "That's definitely not the case. Naru would never think of me like that…"

"Well, if you two aren't together…" the muscular teen pulled her closer.

Mai blanched when she realized what he was getting at. "No way! There isn't a chance in hell I'd go out with someone like you!" She turned to leave out of the door, but Hiromasa quickly grabbed her by the arm. The heavy box finally fell from her hands and landed right on her feet.

Mai sucked in a deep breath, feeling tears sting the corners of her eyes. She dropped to the ground to check the contents, wondering with a feeling of dread if anything had broken. Cursing, the boy kneeled at her side.

After seeing a cracked monitor screen, Mai held out her arm as if telling him to give her some space, which he granted reluctantly. She stood, dusted herself off, and picked up the damaged equipment. "Just…just leave me alone. _Jeez, Naru's going to be so pissed_."

"I-It's your own fault!" Hiromasa blamed her shamelessly.

Mai shook her head and made her way to the door, but turned around in frustration when it wouldn't open. "Is this another one of your stupid tricks, Hiromasa? Unlock the door this moment!" she commanded.

He glared at her angrily. "These doors–" he paused, realization dawning on him, "don't lock…"

Mai's heart screeched to a halt and she looked back at the door. "Speaking of which…wasn't this door open earlier? And neither of us touched it…"

At that moment, the room dropped at least ten degrees, and Mai had more than enough sense to figure out that it wasn't the AC unit kicking on.

* * *

><p>"Where's Mai?" Bou-san inquired, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel that Naru had handed him.<p>

The aforementioned teenager shrugged. "She was packing up the vans. Although she probably should've come back by now to get another box."

"How one person manages to get lost so easily, I will never know," Ayako commented with a sigh, fanning herself with a piece of paper. "Man, it really is summer isn't it? This heat is just _unbearable_."

Naru glanced at the couple, nodding. It must've been hot all decked out in their respective robes. "You two can go ahead and change. Lin and I will be accompanying John around the school for the exorcism. Stay here and keep an eye out for Mai."

They watched warily as Naru exited the room followed closely by his lanky assistant, John, and Masako.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Bou-san."

"Me too."

* * *

><p>"This sucks," Hiromasa said, cursing for the fifth time in the past minute. "Dammit!" He kicked the door. Mai winced at the loud noise.<p>

"Kicking it isn't going to make it open," she said in frustration. All of the clatter he was causing was beginning to give her a pounding headache. "Just pick a chair, sit down, and cool your head for a second. Naru and the others will realize sooner or later that I'm missing and come find me."

"Calm my head? Calm my fucking head?" Hiromasa looked at the brunette as if she'd just grown an additional head of her own. "A ghost just locked us in a room together, and you're telling me to 'calm my head'?"

Mai raised her arms in defense. "I don't think you've noticed but, I'm not too happy about it _either_."

Hiromasa finally took her advice, picked up a chair, and sat down. After a few deep breaths, he seemed to be fully recovered. He watched as his breaths came out in cool clouds. "It's freakishly cold in here."

Mai nodded. "That's what happens when there's a spirit present."

"But why?"

Mai thought about his question, and then conjured together some facts that she remembered Naru once say. "Spirits need energy to materialize, so they take that energy from the surrounding air to do so. That's why it gets cold. Or something along those lines…"

"How are you not freaking out about this right now?"

Mai shrugged. "We've taken on cases ten times worse than this. I've seen things you wouldn't even be able to stomach."

"Yeah?" Hiromasa inquired doubtfully. "Like what?"

"Well," Mai cleared her throat, "It was summer last year when we were investigating this Winchester Mansion-like house…"

_30 minutes later…_

"Eh? What happened then?"

"Well, we managed to get out of the house through a nearby window. After that, we saw in the newspaper that the building had burned down," Mai said, the corners of her mouth tilting downwards as she recalled the horrible case.

Hiromasa regarded her seriously before promptly bursting into a hysterical laughing fit. "No way! That was totally a lie."

Mai's mouth hung open in shock. "You think I'm capable of coming up with a story that elaborate?"

"I think you've got a lot of time on your hands," he corrected between laughs.

Crossing her arms, Mai leaned back in her chair and brooded silently over her waste of breath explanation. "Not with Naru bossing me around _constantly_. In the office I'm always either filing papers, or fetching tea every ten minutes, or running errands, or being a messenger, or making phone calls, or setting up appointments…it's pretty busy during the summer."

"You mean you actually have _business_? People take this ghosts hunting stuff seriously?"

"Were you not just listening to me talk about the Urado case? Ghosts can be serious business. Sometimes, deadly. You're actually lucky that's not the case at this school, or else you'd probably be six feet under by now."

Hiromasa gulped, looking away. "W-What are you saying?"

"It would be your own fault for bullying poor Shizuko," Mai said in a serious tone, sitting up straight, "Then you'd know what it would feel like to be bullied until it finally drives you over the edge."

"I haven't done anything to hurt that kid!"

"Maybe you haven't physically abused him, but words can hurt just as much."

"If anything, it's his fault for being a whimp."

Mai's cheeks finally burned red in anger. She stood up, her chair falling backwards. "You! What makes you do that? What makes you so mean like that?"

Hiromasa followed suit, standing at least a foot taller than the young brunette. "This is who I am!"

* * *

><p><em>Earlier that year…<em>

"_What is that?" Naru inquired, casting a quick glance at the papers in Mai's arm. _

_Mai looked down, as if she hadn't realized herself that she was carrying the stack of papers. "Oh, these? Nothing much, I'm just scheduling classes for next year," she said with a smile, placing the tea tray on her boss's desk._

"_So, what are you taking?" he inquired, trying to making the question sound casual, as if he weren't really that interested. He sipped at his tea, his senses relishing in its warmth._

"_Japanese, physics, advanced math, _English_," she said the word with distaste, "modern Japanese history, art, self study, and forensics."_

"_Forensics?" Naru said with a raised eyebrow. He set his tea down, giving his assistant the look that usually meant for her to explain herself._

"_Well," Mai blushed twiddling her fingers, "I've been thinking that I want to go to college and study to become a Criminologist."_

"Criminology?_"_

_Mai's cheeks went even redder. "I t-think it's interesting to know how people think and why they do what they do…"_

"_Most criminals have a troubled childhood or family problems, isn't that all you need to know?" Naru said, scowling. The idea of Mai getting herself involved with anything that had to do with criminals just rubbed him the wrong way. With her incredible bad luck, who knows what trouble she could get herself into? "Just let someone else do a job like that and stay away from dangerous people."_

"_It's more than that Naru!" Mai argued with a pout, folding her arms._

* * *

><p>Mai couldn't help but smirk. <em>'I'll make a bluff and see if he falls for it...'<em>

"You probably feel pressured or put down by a certain family member. They make you feel that you need to be stronger, be more independent. In fact, I bet it's your dad."

Hiromasa was frozen by her words.

"That's why you play a sport. Basketball, am I right? I heard, however, that this school's basketball team isn't doing so well this year."

"–W-What…? How did you…?"

_'Looks like I'm right,'_ Mai thought to herself. "The fact that the one thing you take pride in is failing is putting even more pressure on you. This is why you feel like you have to bully someone, in order to make you feel manlier, like you're better than others."

"S-Shut up…"

"You're trying to prove something to your dad, aren't you?"

"I said shut up."

"Does your dad call you a whimp?"

"Shut up!" Hiromasa snapped, pushing Mai to the ground. "I said shut up! It's none of your fucking business! That old man doesn't give a shit about me! What the hell does he know, anyway? I get good grades! I do well at sports! What more does he expect from me?"

Mai scrambled back as he began kicking things out of his way again, but was too late to avoid a painful chair to the head. Hiromasa stopped, watching as a trail of blood trickled down the younger girl's forehead.

Mai sucked in and touched the injury, pulling away to see her own blood. He knelt down at her side and inspected the wound. "Jesus, you're making me go crazy, girl," he said, his voice softer.

"You need to realize that what you're doing is only making you just as bad as your father, Hiromasa," Mai said, looking up with teary eyes. "Please stop bullying."

Hiromasa nodded, cupping her face in his hands. Suddenly, Mai had become hyperaware of his thumbs rubbing circles into her cheeks and his hot breath on her lips. He leaned in closer, their noses touching.

"W-What are you…?"

"You're seriously going to make me go crazy about you."

Before either of them could mentally register what was going on, a strong hand had wrapped around Mai's arm and ripped her out of Hiromasa's hold. They both looked to the person, finding none other than Naru with the box of broken monitors in his other arm.

"I'm sorry, but it would be greatly appreciated if you would refrain from harassing my assistant in the future," the dark haired teenager said with a curt bow, pulling Mai out of the room (which was now, mysteriously unlocked).

Despite the fact that these were the exact same words Masako had used in her hilarious impersonation of Naru, Mai was too nervous to be laughing. If anything, she was horrified. Naru had seen her in a very compromising situation. "Naru, wait! It's really not what you're thinking–"

After they were a good distance away from the room that Mai and Hiromasa had previously been locked in, Naru relinquished his hold on her arm. He turned to face her, his expression steely. "I don't care what you do on your time off, Mai, but while you are on the clock–"

"What do you expect me to do? Hiromasa pulled me into the room and the door locked on its own!"

Naru sighed, "I should've made Masako go with you since you're so incapable of doing anything on your own."

"How did you get into the room, anyway?"

"John successfully exorcised the spirit which was causing the door to lock. By the way, everything's already packed up and all of the rituals are done. This school is clean," he said, looking down at the box in his arms, "and, of course, you manage to break the only box of equipment I gave you."

"Okay, _that_ was Hiro–"

Naru cut her off by taking her face in his hands, leaning down similarly to how the aforementioned Hiromasa had. "Did he do anything to you?" Mai's cheeks burned bright red.

"N-Naru, what do you think you're–"

He stopped to inspect the injury on her forehead and pulled back, watching Mai sputter like an old engine with a smirk on his face. "Try not to fall for my handsome face."

'_Too late for that…'_

* * *

><p>Haha! And you guys thought I was done! MWAHAHAHA. Well, <em>now<em> I am. ANYWAY! In the next case SPR goes to England! Yay! Be excited!


	15. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked

* * *

><p>"Lin, I already told you I'm not going back until–"<p>

"I understand that Noll, but your parents have made a specific request–"

"A selfish one that I refuse to oblige."

Mai dropped her backpack on the desktop loudly, making her presence known to the two men. They were so caught up in their argument that neither of them had even heard the office door open, which was odd, especially for Lin, who heard practically everything. "Am I interrupting something?"

"You're late, Mai," Naru said in almost a growl, avoiding the question. This dispute between him and Lin was all her fault anyway. If he hadn't been tea deprived by her lateness, Naru never would've left his room, and therefore successfully avoiding his tall Chinese assistant.

"What are you two fighting over anyway? I've never seen you so fired up before, Lin."

"We have a case offer in England," Lin said, before his boss could manage to keep him quiet.

Mai covered her mouth to silence the scream that passed through her lips. "England? Holy crap!"

"He refuses to take the case, even though our sponsors offered to pay for any and all expenses."

"Naru! What the heck are you thinking?" Mai cried in disdain, reaching out her hands for him as if she were about to grab him and shake some sense into his thick skull. "How could you turn down a trip to England? Tell them we'll take it! In fact, what's their number? I'll call them right now. No, that would be long distance. Do you have their email–"

"Mai," Naru said, his voice hard, "we're not taking the case. That's final."

Mai took a second for the words to register, but it didn't take long for her face to scrunch up angrily, "Naru, you're so unfair! Listen to what your teammates say every once in a while, will you?"

Naru sighed before walking into his room and closing the door behind him, calling for tea not long after.

"Well, there goes my only chance to ever see England." Mai said, deflating. "I don't understand, Lin-san. Why would Naru pass up an opportunity like this? I mean, England is like the home of paranormal research."

Lin looked down at his younger co-worker. "I'll talk to him."

* * *

><p>Mai's heart jumped at the sound of Naru's door opening and closing and she listened again for another door to signal Lin retreating into his own room. She wondered, as she poured the steaming tea, if the silent Chinese man had managed to get through to their hardheaded boss.<p>

When Mai entered, Naru was sitting quietly at his desk with his nose in a book. Nothing unusual there. She took a deep breath before placing his cup onto his desk, standing back and waiting for him to make a move; to reach for his tea, to tell her the answer was still no, something, _anything_.

But Naru continued to scan his eyes quickly across the page he was on as if she hadn't just entered the room with his favorite drink in her hands. Mai sighed, holding the tray to her chest, and wilted.

"Mai."

Just as she was half-way to the door, Naru's voice stopped her in her tracks. She looked back, hope in her eyes. "Yeah?"

"I suppose you have a passport?"

* * *

><p>Mai bounced up and down in her seat, looking out of the window so that she could see the airport. "Thanks for giving me the window seat, Naru!"<p>

Naru rolled his eyes as his overly energetic assistant spent the next five minutes freaking out about how much more spacious the international plane was, compared to the one they had ridden on to Korea. "How is it you have a passport yet you've never left Japan?" he inquired.

"My friend Keiko invited me to her summer house in China once, but her father got really sick and was admitted to the hospital, so they never went," Mai said with a small disappointed shrug, bouncing back a moment later, "But now I'm finally getting to leave Japan! I'm really excited!"

"Speaking of the case," said Naru as he handed Mai a stack of papers clipped together, "Here's the case file that they sent us. Read over it."

Mai looked in displeasure at the papers. "You're giving me _work_ to do?"

"Oi, Mai! You better go to the bathroom before the plane takes off," Bou-san suggested, leaning over the top of Mai's chair.

"I don't have to, though!"

"Just do it! This is an 11 hour flight and you drank a whole bottle of water in the airport…"

"Can't I go later?"

John's head popped up over the top of Naru's chair. "It's dangerous to get up while the plane is in the air, even if the seatbelt light isn't on. You never know when the plane will hit turbulence. One time I was flying, the plane dropped about 10 feet without warning. I mean, I was off the seat. I thought my life was over."

Bou-san nodded in agreement, watching the brunette knowingly. Mai rolled her eyes, "I'm sure that won't happen. It'll be fine, you guys."

"Oh, yeah. Do you need more medicine? You were pretty sick earlier."

"I think that's just because the plane to Korea was super cramped and hot," Mai said, waving off his concern, "I'm fine now."

"If you say so," Bou-san shrugged, knowing she'd regret it later.

"If you're fine, then I'm sure you won't have a problem reading over this case file," Naru said, dropping the stack of papers onto his assistant's lap.

Mai looked at her boss for a moment. "Actually, now that you mention it, I _do _have a sudden urge to pee, Bou-san…"

Naru crossed his legs in a way that made it impossible for her to get out into the isle, an intimidating smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The disadvantages of having the window seat…

Mai sighed. "I guess not."

* * *

><p>Mai jolted awake as the plane trembled. The case file that had put her to sleep, fell from her lap onto the floor. She groaned in pain and took her time stretching her arms up into the air. Unlike earlier, the urge to pee had suddenly become a serious threat, Mai realized, squeezing her legs together.<p>

She unbuckled herself and stood, looking around. Most of the plane was fast asleep, and although she couldn't judge how long they'd been on the plane, she figured it was way past everyone's bed time since it was, after all, an 11 hour flight. Despite that fact, however, it was still light outside. Though it made sense because they were technically going the same direction of the sun…or something like that. Mai still really didn't understand it much herself.

And there Naru sat, fast asleep with a book in his lap. And his legs crossed so that she still couldn't get into the isle. "_Of course_," Mai whispered.

Mai raised her leg over his crossed ones, practically straddling him. She blushed at her position. It was super embarrassing, definitely, but how else was she going to be able to get out and pee? However, the gods cursed her luck as usual. The plane shuddered violently beneath them and Mai was knocked forwards onto her boss's lap with a highly unattractive 'gack'.

'_Shit, I didn't even look at the seat belt light! What if it's on? What if we hit turbulence? Oh my god, I'm going to die! Bou-san and John were right!'_

"Mai."

That's right! She had totally forgotten that she had ended up in her boss's lap (in a very inappropriate position for that matter). She looked down at her boss with a sheepish smile, who stared back at her with tired indigo eyes. "_Hey_, Naru…"

"How bold of you, Mai."

"Actually, I was getting up to use the restroom, you see."

"I'm sure you were. Now if you would so kindly…"

"Oh, yeah!" Mai looked down in embarrassment, somehow managing to scrambling off of his lap and into the small isle without hitting anyone. "I know I must be heavy. It's just, the plane hit a bit of turbulence, and I was trying to walk over you to get to the bathroom and I fell and now I'm rambling, so I'm just going to hurry and use the bathroom. Sorry for waking you up," Mai said, bowing and hurrying to the back of the plane.

Naru watched with a raised eyebrow as she rushed off behind him. The old man that sat with the isle separating himself from Naru smiled and laughed good-naturedly, "Young love."

Naru didn't reply, but he couldn't help the smile forming on his face as he looked down into his lap.

* * *

><p>After getting through customs and all of the other airport security bullshit that Mai didn't really understand, they managed to escape the hectic crowd within Heathrow airport. Bou-san, John, and Mai decided to take their bags and sit down on a nearby bench, while Naru and Lin decided on a game plan.<p>

"Oh my gosh, you guys," Mai said, her voice extremely high pitch and excited, "I can't believe I'm in another country! We're officially on British soil!"

Bou-san laughed. "You didn't seem this excited when we had layover in Korea for, like four hours."

"Because this is England! Home of the paranormal, Shakespeare, The Beatles, Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper! You think if we manage to finish the case early, Naru will let us go do tourist-y things?" They could practically see the stars in Mai's eyes.

John smiled. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind! I, for one, would really like to ride on the London Eye."

"I heard you can get a really good look at Big Ben from the top!" Bou-san commented.

"It's too bad the others couldn't come," Mai said, followed by a sigh.

"It's not Naru's fault that his sponsors only wanted a few people to come," Bou-san said with a shrug, "Do you know how much money those round-trip plane tickets probably cost? I'm talking 200,000 yen for each of us."

Mai frowned, waving her hand, "Stop talking! Money makes me depressed."

"Although," Bou-san said, a small smile making its way onto his face followed by a light blush, "I kind of wished Ayako could've come."

"Oh," Mai groaned like a two year old, "Gross. Stop with your lovey-dovey crap right this instant."

"But Mai, weren't you the one who set them up together?" John said, chuckling.

The brunette teenager rolled her eyes. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't."

Naru and Lin made their way over to the bench. "Here's what's going to happen: we're going to catch a bus to Richmond, which is where our sponsor lives, spend the night, pack up some equipment, and head to Dover in the morning."

Mai jumped. "We're going to actually meet our sponsors?"

"Is there anything wrong with that, Mai?" Naru inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"N-No," she replied defensively. _'I just have to remember to thank them properly!'_

* * *

><p>After getting off of the bus, Mai and company only had to walk a few more blocks before reaching their destination: their sponsor's house. It was a large white building with two others pushed up against it, leaving no room in between houses. However, it looked bigger and wider than the ones that they had seen while passing through Central London.<p>

Mai fidgeted nervously as they rang the doorbell and waited. She'd never been in a completely western house before. And now that she actually realized where she was, would their sponsors even understand a word she said? What if they didn't speak a lick of Japanese? Well, Mai knew how to say 'thank you' in English, but if she really did thank them, they might get confused as to what she was thanking them about…!

Wait a second…wasn't Naru's sponsor probably Masako's family? But what would they be doing in England?

Mai calmed herself with a deep breath.

Bou-san chuckled. "What on earth are you freaking out about?"

"I just… It's stressful being in a country that doesn't speak your language, you know?" she managed to say weakly.

"I'm sure you'll get used to it," John whispered, "Besides, if anyone needs a translator, Naru and I speak English, and I'm pretty sure Lin does too."

The door opened revealing a slender woman, who appeared to be in her forties, with the most beautiful blond, wavy, flowing hair that Mai had ever seen. "You're finally here! We've been waiting," she said, to Mai's surprise, in Japanese. She ushered them into the foyer and out of the cold.

"I'm Luella, your hostess, and also the one who has requested for you to take this case! You three must be..."

"Takigawa Houshou, but better known as Bou-san, at your service," Bou-san said with a charming smile.

"John Brown," the blond priest said with a small bow.

"T-Taniyama Mai. It's a pleasure to meet you," the brunette gave a quick low bow.

"Thank you all so much for coming. Now, how about we go sit down in the parlor room and have some tea? We can worry about lugging those huge suitcases upstairs later."

Mai sighed in relief. They'd been traveling non-stop ever since they left Japan, and Mai was beginning to feel the effects. Some tea would be a god-send right about now.

When they reached the parlor room, Luella smiled and dragged Mai over to a loveseat. "Mai, dear, tell me about the plane ride here."

And so Mai indulged the woman, telling her about how horridly cramped and hot the plane to Korea was, but about how the international flight to England was ten times better, and about her fascination with the fold-out tables on the back of the chairs (which Luella laughed heartily at).

Now feeling much more comfortable with this woman, Mai decided to ask a few questions of her own. "If you don't mind me asking, how is it you know Japanese? I was under the impression you spoke English."

"Well, I went to Japan years ago," the woman glanced over at Naru, "My speech is a bit rusty, but I can manage."

"A bit rusty?" Mai repeated with a laugh. "You probably speak better Japanese than _me–_"

"Hey, everyone!"

'_Did I just hear…_' Mai looked over at the door separating the kitchen from the parlor, which opened and revealed the very person she thought she had heard. Mai bolted up from her seat. "M-Madoka?"

* * *

><p>So, no actual case stuff yet, but I really want to go slow on this one. I want Mai to start figuring things out for herself. Also, introduction to Luella and Madoka! And you bet your ass they're planning on getting Mai and Naru together. This should be good, right?<p> 


	16. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked

* * *

><p>"I honestly didn't expect to see you here, Madoka!" Mai said, breaking out of the pink-haired woman's hold.<p>

"I should be the one saying that!" Madoka said, laughing. "I only just got the word that you guys were coming this morning. I mean, I definitely thought Naru was going to reject the case." She shot Naru a disapproving look, which was blatantly ignored as he sipped the tea which she had just served.

"Well, Lin and I had to convince him…" Noticing the sudden change in the air, Mai decided to change the subject. "But anyway, did you hear that Bou-san and Ayako finally got together?"

"_Mai!_" Bou-san called out with red cheeks.

"Oh, no way! Congratulations, Takigawa-san, I was _wondering_ when it would happen."

"The good thing is that they still act normal around each other…for the most part. I mean, Ayako still abuses him most of the time."

Luella turned her head, watching Naru in the corner of her eye. He was smiling into his cup as he listened in on his friends' conversation about tough love. The first _real_ smile she had seen on his face since his brother's death…

She stood, catching her son's attention, and beckoned him into the hall. The conversation went on despite his absence.

"_Noll,_" she started once she closed the door behind her, "_Noll, you've come home._" Luella wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.

He squeezed her in return. "_It's good to be back. Where's dad?_"

"_He was on a case of his own, but he'll be back tonight,_" the blond woman said quietly, looking into her only son's eyes. "_Look, I'm sorry for making you break your promise of not leaving Japan until you found Gene's body, but…_"

Naru sighed. He didn't want to have this kind of talk right now. "_Mum,_" he said softly, as if urging her to get to the point.

"_Would you just call every once in a while? So I don't have to spend money dragging you back to England with a case offer? Would it be that hard to pick up the phone and dial our number?_"

"_Okay, mother, I get it. I'll call you more often._"

"_Thank you,_" she said with a smile. "_Although, getting to actually see your face every once in a while would be nice too._"

Naru rolled his eyes.

"_I mean,_ _think of poor Lin and Madoka. They never get to see each other because of you!_ _Speaking of which, you should probably make a move on that Mai girl._"

"_Mum,_" he said, his voice a little harder than usual.

"_Oh, come on. You're growing up so fast, when will we ever get grandchildren?_"

"_She…_" the man who usually always had something witty to say, was at a loss as to how he should put their relationship into words. So he settled with, "_She_ _doesn't think of me in that way._"

Luella smiled. "_Somehow I doubt that._"

* * *

><p>Mai jerked awake. She sat up quickly, realizing that the bed she was in wasn't her own, but quickly calmed down when she remembered where she was. Mai looked at the digital clock on her bedside table. It was now 11 o'clock British time, meaning 7 in the morning in Japan – just the moment her alarm would've gone off if she were sleeping soundly in her small apartment back home. No wonder she had woken up so suddenly.<p>

She sighed, deciding she would go make some tea to calm herself because she was too wide awake to go back to sleep.

As she was walking down the hall, she spotted a room with a light shining from beneath the door and the smell of chamomile wafting through the air. Unable to contain her curiosity, Mai cracked the door open so that she could just barely see the figure of a tall man speaking on the phone.

"_Right…Okay, I'll talk to you later. No problem._"

Mai bit her lip. '_Is that Lin? No, that doesn't sound like him…_'

"Come in," the man spoke, this time in Japanese. Mai realized with a start that he was speaking to her.

'_Shoot, he noticed me._' She opened the door the rest of the way, a sheepish smile forming on her lips. "Sorry to intrude. I was looking for the kitchen so that I could make some tea…but then I smelled some coming from this room and…"

The mysterious man looked at her kindly. "Making yourself at home, I see?"

"Oh," Mai nervously slapped herself on the forehead, "That probably sounded super rude. I'm sorry, maybe I should have asked you before just using your kitchen. I'm just not really used to British customs. Though, I guess it would be considered common knowledge anywhere–"

He laughed, waving her over. "No, no, that's not what I was implying. But since you're already here, why not join me? I think I have an extra cup somewhere around here…"

Mai closed the door behind her, checking out the room while he looked around for another cup. It was either a library or a study, judging from the massive book shelves that reached the tall ceiling, not to mention, were packed to the brink with books, so much so that there were stacks of them all over the floor as well. "Whoa, this room is amazing."

"Yes," the man said with a smile, handing her the spare cup he had miraculously found within his mess and pouring her some chamomile tea, "This used to be my family's summer house when I was just a child. My wife and I just recently moved here, but these books were all of the one's I managed to collect as a kid." He took a moment to admire them as well, before realizing that Mai was still standing. "Why don't you take a seat?"

"All of them? That's amazing!" Mai said, almost out of breath due to the sheer number of books. She took his advice, falling back into a comfortable chair that was conveniently enough right behind her, and snapped out of her trance. "Then you must be Luella-san's husband!"

"Oh," he stopped mid-sip and swallowed hard, "I apologize for not introducing myself. Martin Davis."

Mai leaned over and shook his hand with a smile. "It's nice to meet you! I'm Mai Taniyama, Na – I mean, _Shibuya-san's_ second assistant."

Martin raised an eyebrow. "I see. How interesting."

"I'm nothing special, though," she shrugged, looking around the room once more, "Lin does more of the important work. I file papers and fetch tea every ten minutes."

"So do you enjoy working under Shibuya-san?" Martin inquired, smiling, as if testing her.

"Yeah, of course! I mean, even if he _is _super bossy all of the time," Mai said, rolling her eyes, "He really cares about his work and the people that work with him."

"What's your relationship with him?" Martin's smile remained, widening as he saw the steam coming from her ears.

"R-Relationship?"

"You know," he said, amiably, "are you dating?"

"Me and S-Shibuya-san? N-No, not at all! Besides…he likes this girl back in Japan."

"Oh, does he?" Martin frowned.

"Yeah, but I don't really blame him. I mean, she's so pretty she looks like a doll! Even if she is a total…" Mai paused coughing into her hand, "But I guess their horrible personalities go together."

"So how do you know he likes her, exactly?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure they've gone out on a couple of dates…and I brought him a case once, which he refused, and then _she_ came, offering the same exact case, and he took it. He's always pleasant with her, but not with me. He probably thinks she's smarter than me…though she probably _is_."

"But you like him," Martin said, more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah," Mai replied honestly, looking down into her cup of tea. "Anyway..." Eager to change the subject from her love life, Mai caught a glance of one of the picture frames littered across the desk that Martin was leaned against. "Oh, how cute! Are these your sons?" She inquired, picking up the photograph. Two boys – identical twins – in the middle of a room filled with toys; one with a huge smile and the other scowling like he'd just eaten something gross.

They were cute, really they were. But something about the fact that they looked exactly like a younger version of Naru put her off. Fear bubbled in the pit of her stomach. Something was telling her she wasn't supposed to be looking at that photo. The frame shook in her sweaty hand and she could tell that the smile on her face was giving away the panic she was feeling.

"Mai, are you okay? You seem a bit pale–"

"I'm sorry, I think I should go," Mai said, standing up and placing the photo back where it belonged. She gulped down the rest of her tea and placed her cup on the tray next to where the kettle was sitting. "It was a pleasure talking with you, but Shibuya-san will be mad if wind up tired tomorrow morning so I should go."

She hauled it out of the room, not waiting for a response.

Martin looked down into cup of tea his wife had brought him earlier and took a sip. "_'Shibuya-san,' huh?_"

* * *

><p>Mai was shocked when she found herself within her boss's strong arms shortly after turning a corner. She was sure any normal person would've fallen over due to the speed she was going, but Naru stood like a brick wall. "What are you doing running through the hall in the middle of the night?" he asked, noticing her paleness in the dark hallway. "Are you okay?"<p>

"No, I'm not feeling too well," she admitted, slightly upset when Naru released her, "But I think it was the plane food. I'm just going to go sleep it off and hope I feel better in the morning."

Naru nodded slowly, watching as she walked passed him and slipped into her pitch black room. He turned the corner and peeked into his father's study. "_Was Mai just in here?_"

Martin ignored the question. "_You haven't told them yet, have you…?_"

Naru's eyes narrowed. He shut the door behind him as he entered the study. "_Told them what, exactly?_"

Martin glared at his son. "_You know what I mean. That girl obviously didn't know your real identity._"

Naru remembered the panic Mai was trying to hide when they bumped into each other, how she looked as pale as a bed sheet. Had his father possibly…? "_Don't tell me you told her–_"

"_I didn't tell her anything. But I think she might've seen something she wasn't supposed to…_" he said, referring to the photograph in his hand. "_By the way, that girl is really something else._"

Naru sighed. "_She is, isn't she?_"

* * *

><p>It was about an hour and a half ride to Dover the next morning. They arrived right around 9 in the morning.<p>

Madoka dropped them off at a nearby gas station, waving good bye as she rode off into the distance. Mai frowned in confusion. "I thought we were supposed to be investigating a shipwreck? That's what it said in the case file."

"Yes, but this gas station is the closest point a car can reach to the base of the cliffs. The start of the trail is just over there," Naru said, pointing across the street where an opening to the dense forest beckoned them.

"Cliffs? Trail?" The brunette blinked, the confusion clouding her mind not getting any better with her boss's explanation. "What?"

"So you really _didn't_ read the case file." Naru sighed.

Mai blushed. "I read enough!" –Which was a lie because she had fallen asleep after the first two sentences.

Naru began to explain as the crossed the street and started up the narrow path. "To get to the shipwreck, we have to take this trail up to the top of the cliffs and hike for about 5 miles. There should be a steep path cut into the side of the cliffs with a beach just beneath. That's the only way to get to the shipwreck. And you can only see it at low tide, for that matter."

"Whoa," Mai said, stopping, "you never said anything about hiking. I would've brought tennis shoes! And where exactly are we going to be staying? I'm pretty sure there aren't any Inns up there."

Naru smiled.

And Mai understood exactly what he was getting at. "Where on earth do you think we're going to be able to camp out?"

Naru continued to walk, the rest following him. "There should be a shelter built into the side of the cliff that will hold us for a few nights."

"You've got to be kidding me," Mai said under her breath, staring at the back of her employer's head with malice in her eyes and following reluctantly.

Naru ignored the fact that his words were putting a damper on Mai's attitude. "Being the narrowest point from England to France, Dover has played its part in many wars. The shelter we'll be staying in used to be an old lookout from World War II. It's nothing pleasant, though. After all, it is made out of concrete."

"I would expect no less from you. _God_, what were you thinking? Not only are we going to _freeze_ to death in the horrible English weather, we're going starve, too!"

"We've packed plenty enough blankets and non-perishable food, Mai. But if you would like to go back to the house and be a waste of a 200,000 yen plane ticket, be my guest."

Mai huffed, shifting her backpack into a more comfortable position. "Naru, you are unbearable."

But wait a second–

Where was she going to change?

Or go to the bathroom?

Or _shower_?

* * *

><p>Mai should've read the case file. Hahaha! By the way, I don't know if I made it obvious enough, but the italicized sentences (the ones that are being spoken, at least) are meant to be in English. Anyway, I hope you guys like it! And don't forget to review (which has become conveniently less of a hassle).<p> 


	17. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked

* * *

><p>Mai gulped as looked over the side of the cliff. Down below there was a large cloudy area in the receding surf. It looked as if there had been a landslide of the white cliff-side into the blue water below. "Holy crap, come look at this, you guys!" Mai called, waving them over.<p>

Bou-san shook his head in disapproval, "Mai get away from there! It's dangerous to be right on the edge." He had been freaking out like that ever since they'd gotten to the top of the cliff, whereas Mai was now having the time at her life and enjoying the scenery.

"Speaking of dangerous, it looks like there's been a landslide here recently," she said, throwing the monk a smile.

"Even more reason to get away from the edge," he said, now officially panicking. "Come on, Mai. Stop messing around, I'm serious."

"Mai," Naru said sternly. Just her name was enough for said brunette to understand the underlying threat in his voice. She walked back over to them with a sigh.

"I'm finally enjoying myself and you have to go and ruin it," Mai said, followed by a pout.

"Next time, please enjoy yourself without being stupid," Naru countered.

Mai sighed in frustration. "Hey, _Naru_," she whined, "are we there yet?"

Naru reached the top of the hill that John was standing on, and pointed down. "It's right here."

"Really?!" Mai raced passed Lin and Bou-san and stood in between the blond priest and her employer to catch her breath. She looked along the edge of the cliff, trying to see if she could find a staircase or a path leading down. "Where, exactly?" she inquired excitedly.

"That's strange," Naru said, unable to keep the smile off of his face. "I could've sworn it was right there."

"Naru, that's not cool!" Mai said, slapping his arm playfully. "I'm really tired! I even ran, too."

"I guess you'll just have to keep up with me so that I won't trick you again."

"_Naru!_"

* * *

><p>When they finally reached the pathway leading down to the beach, Mai frowned. It looked like someone had taken a shovel to dig out part of the cliffs and then installed a rickety railing an arm-length away on the other side. There were huge rocks in the middle of the path and it looked quite steep. She wasn't sure she'd be able to get down without falling. "Is this even safe?"<p>

Naru looked back at her as he began going down the steep, zigzag path. "I'll be going down first, just in case."

Despite the fact that Mai was slightly nervous about the rugged pathway, she was offended that Naru felt he had to go first. He probably thought she'd trip and fall and block the path. She glared at the back of his head, silently brooding. "What, so you think I can't handle going down on my own?"

Bou-san followed Mai, with John close behind and Lin bringing up the rear. Bou-san, by now, was a nervous wreck, constantly reminding Mai to keep her hands on the rails and telling her to look out for the rock in front of her, seeing as she was enjoying the view instead of watching where she was going.

John admired the cliff, which had a couple thousands worth of names carved into its side. "Look at all of the names! Maybe we should do ours?"

"That's a good idea! By the way, how come these cliffs are made of chalk, Naru?" Mai inquired, rubbing her finger across the cliff's white, powdery surface.

"Chalk consists of the remains of tiny sea organisms and fragments of sea shells. These fragments are continually washed against the shore and, in places like this, build up into high cliffs," Naru said, as if reading it from a textbook.

"You just read random books in your spare time, don't you?" Bou-san inquired jokingly.

"Speaking of books, you should've seen Martin-san's study. I mean, he had book shelves up to the ceiling that were packed full, and even more books on the ground!"

"You mean Luella-san's husband?" John questioned.

"Didn't he get back after we went to sleep? What were you doing up past your bed time?" Bou-san grinned, ruffling her hair from behind.

"I got up last night because I wasn't _feeling too well_," Mai said, throwing the monk a glare, "and he invited me into his study for tea."

"I wish I had gotten to meet him," John said, a little disappointed.

"He's nice, I really like him," Mai said. "Oh, look! It's low tide, so you can see the shipwreck!"

They finally reached a point where the steep path ended, but they were still on a ledge a good thirty feet overlooking the beach. In front of Mai was a tall, but sturdy-enough looking ladder that led down to the beach.

Off to the side was the lookout that Naru had spoken off, two connected hut-shaped shelters built into the side of the cliff. Each one had its own sliding metal window, which were both rusted and had multiple holes on their worn surfaces.

"Homey," Mai said as she entered their temporary home, dropping her backpack to the ground with a disappointed smile.

"Oh," Bou-san wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "It'll grow on you, Mai."

"I really hope we don't stay long enough for that to happen." John and Bou-san laughed at her comment.

Lin and Naru entered, getting straight to business. The only thing they needed to set up was a camera and a monitor so they made it clear that Mai wasn't needed, waving her off when she offered her help.

She huffed, watching John and Bou-san as they unpacked their things and discussed where everyone should sleep, but decided that she would do so later. For now she just wanted to scope out the beach (and possibly find a bathroom).

"Hey, I'm going to check out the shipwreck okay?" Mai called, but she received no response. Huffing, she exited the shelter, taking a step over to the ladder. The brunette looked down, surprised that she hadn't noticed large rocks covering the beach instead of sand earlier.

Mai touched the railing, finding the metal unnervingly cool against her skin. She laughed at her own nervousness, '_Of course it's going to be cold. You're in England, it's freezing here._' She began to go down the steep ladder with her back facing the rungs, hands firmly on the rails, but still unable to rid herself of the bad feeling in her stomach.

Then, on the third step, something unexpected happened. A force knocked Mai's foot from the rung and an ear-splitting scream passed through her lips as she plummeted to the beach.

She couldn't tell how long she had been lying there in shock, her face pressed uncomfortably against the granite rocks, but it felt like forever. '_Oh my god, what happened?_' she wondered, moving her arms to check if they still worked.

'_That's right…I fell. That was a long distance, too. Am I even still alive?_'

Mai's whole body had gone numb the second she came into contact with the ground, but she could still hear Bou-san's calls from the top of the ladder. "Mai! Oh my god, don't move! We're coming, okay? Don't move!"

"Lin, get the first aid kit!"

'_Don't move?_' Mai began to wonder as tears pooled in her eyes if maybe one of her legs was broken or twisted and she just couldn't feel it due to the numbness. "Why can't I move?" she inquired, her voice coming out in a hoarse sob.

Naru was the first to reach her. He took her face in his hands, turning it gently to inspect it. "Mai, can you move?"

The tears were overflowing, by now. "Bou-san told me not to!" she sobbed.

"It's okay, now. Can you try to move?" Naru said, his voice the softest Mai had ever heard him use.

Mai nodded, pulling herself into a sitting position just as Bou-san and John were rushing down the stairs with the first aid kit.

"Mai, are you okay?"

"Holy shit, Mai, what on earth happened?"

"You guys got down here fast," Mai said slowly between hiccupping sobs, which only got harder when she saw the stream of blood traveling down her nose. She gripped onto Naru's shoulders as if to keep herself from falling over, but quickly let go when both of her hands throbbed at the touch.

"She's in shock," Naru said, opening the kit. "I'm going to need some clean water."

"Got it," Lin said, handing the bottle over as he got to the bottom of the stairs.

Naru took a gauze pad from the first aid kit, wetting it with the water and lapping up the blood on her face with it. Mai shied away from his touch, but Bou-san kept her from moving too much. "I know it hurts, but it'll get worse if it's infected."

She gave a shaky nod, closing her eyes as Naru inspected the rest of her body for any serious injuries. "It doesn't look bad," Naru updated, "You have two cuts on your face and a scraped leg."

Mai nodded again. "M-My hands really hurt."

"Your hands?" He confirmed, taking them in his own and inspecting them. Her palms were red and swollen from the landing, but there were no cuts or other external damage to them. He began pulling on her fingers. "Does any of this hurt?"

She was beginning to calm down. "No, but my palms…"

"I see," Naru sighed, "Well, nothing seems broken or looks like it needs stitches. Can you walk?"

He and Bou-san helped her up. Mai brushed herself off sheepishly. "My legs don't hurt at all, just my face and the palms of my hands."

"Good," Naru said followed by a relieved sigh. "Now how exactly did–"

"Wait! Before you ask any questions, I _really_ have to pee," Mai said, before her boss had time to finish.

Naru rolled his eyes, pointing to a group of large rocks over on the opposite side of the beach that were just large enough to cover her. The brunette nodded and began stumbling over to her make-shift bathroom, the granite rocks shifting dangerously beneath her feet as she did so.

"Ah!"

Bou-san winced as she had a fairly close call to falling again. "I'll help her," he said, running after her and grabbing her arm to steady her.

"What a trooper. Mai's invincible!" John ran a hand through his hair with a sigh.

Naru simply nodded.

* * *

><p>Mai shivered in her blue bikini against the cold British wind, wincing as the salty water lapped at her wounded leg. She held her breath, wetting her hair and wondering how her boss had even talked her into this.<p>

_Ten minutes earlier…_

"_So, Naru." Mai crossed her arms (making sure to be cautious of her injured hands) and smiled expectantly at her boss. "I'm sure you've got everything figured out, but I'm still not quite sure where I'm supposed to change or even _shower_ for that matter."_

_Naru turned, his hands poised on the rungs of the ladder as he was about to go up. "You brought stuff to shower with, right?"_

_Mai blinked. "Well, of course I did."_

_Naru blinked back. "And I told you to bring your bathing suit, right?"_

"_You don't mean…" The realization finally hit Mai. "You want me to…" She looked back at the freezing English Channel and pointed at its blue water accusingly. "In _that_?"_

"_Unless you really want to go the whole case without taking a shower," Naru said with an unconcerned shrug. "I'd rather you clean, but if it really bothers you that much…"_

"_Nonononono," Mai protested the idea, pushing it far away from her mind. She had just hiked five miles up a cliff, fallen thirty feet off the very same cliff, and was most likely very smelly. She desperately needed a shower, especially if she was going to be around the guy she liked all day._

_Naru raised an eyebrow, waiting for her answer._

_Mai sighed. "Fine, I'll do it."_

_Present time…_

Mai shook her head as she lathered orange scented shampoo into her gross hair, ashamed of herself. The things she does for that jerk. "As if falling thirty feet wasn't enough to kill me. I'm probably going to go into hypothermic shock and die!"

After rinsing her hair and washing her body thoroughly but quickly, Mai rushed out of the water, wrapping a towel around her along the way, and over to the ladder (her new worst enemy), back up to their temporary shelter. "Do you know how cold that water is?" Mai said with chattering teeth as she entered, glaring at her boss who was sitting in a corner and reading some papers.

"Poor thing," Bou-san jested. "Naru probably wouldn't mind warming you up."

The blood rushed to Mai's face as if somewhere in her body there had opened a floodgate. "B-B-BOU-SAN!"

John looked at the monk with a small smile, "You're horrible."

Naru didn't look up from whatever he was reading, but a small smirk made its way across his face.

"Not to mention _perverted_," Mai agreed angrily, looking away. She knew that her face would continue to be red for quite a while.

"Oh, come on. You know I'm only joking!" Bou-san laughed, but caught sight of a bruise forming on the brunette's thigh that made him grow pale. "Jesus! Mai, look at your leg!"

His alarmed tone caught everyone's attention, bringing all eyes to her legs (even Naru and Lin looked away from what they were doing). Mai frantically examined her legs. "W-What? I don't see anything except for a scabbed knee!"

"No, on your side right below your hip!" Bou-san pointed, scooting closer to get a better look.

Mai looked down at the spot he was pointing to and gasped. Right where Bou-san had indicated was a dark bruise the size of a baseball. "Holy crap!"

John winced. "How did you not notice that, Mai?"

"It looks like someone assaulted you in a game of ball," Bou-san commented.

"It doesn't even hurt, though," Mai said in awe, before venturing into the other section of their shelter where no one would be able to see her as she changed.

"How are your hands?" Naru inquired, speaking for the first time since Mai walked into their 'base.'

"Not good," she commented with a sigh. Although four of her fingers here okay, her thumbs had become stiff and shot pain up her arm whenever she moved them. She managed to strip down with ease, but doing her bra clasp was going to be a challenge from now on. "It's really hard to move my thumbs."

"Maybe we should bring her back," Bou-san suggested, his playful mood dissipated with the possible seriousness of Mai's injuries. "We could bring her to the hospital, get her X-rayed."

"What? No!" Mai objected, shocked at his idea. After a few seconds of difficulty, she finally got her bra on. "Don't go deciding stuff about me like that! Besides, I don't want to."

"Don't be a kid about it." Bou-san's brotherly instincts were kicking it.

"No! I'm not going to be a 'waste of a plane ticket,'" Mai said, still concerned with Naru's previous comment earlier that day. She pulled a long-sleeved shirt over her head and got into some thick sweats.

"Mai, you _fell _off of a _cliff_," Naru deadpanned, "that hardly counts anymore. If you want to go back, then we'll take you back."

Mai went into the previous room where everyone was seated. She laid her bathing suit out on the window ledge so it could dry. "I _said _I don't want to," she insisted, sitting in between Naru and John. "I'm fine anyway. I don't feel like I fell thirty feet at all."

"You say that, but it's going to hit you tomorrow. _Believe me_," Bou-san said with a knowing look.

"We'll see," Mai smiled.

* * *

><p>Hey everyone! Sorry this took so long. School is starting once again, as you know, and I'm already being weighed down with a shit-load of work. Updates are going to take longer, but I promise I'll work hard for you guys!<p>

Yeah, so this is the chapter that was based off of what happened to me in England! Yes, I really did fall thirty feet off a cliff (which sucked because it happened in the beginning of the trip, so the rest of my time in Europe was really hard). I told you you'd be surprised! Although, I fell because I was stupid and slipped, Mai fell because of something having to do with the paranormal. They'll talk about it in the next chapter, don't worry.

Signing out!


	18. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked

* * *

><p><em>Mai held tightly onto the railing as she boarded the small ship. These things always made her nauseous, she thought with a heavy sigh. A hand took her unoccupied one, helping to support her as she stepped onto the rocking boat. She turned to see the man whom her father had hired as her temporary body guard and smiled.<em>

"_Thank you, William," she said automatically, but realized after looking at him that it was none other than dream Naru. But he was someone else in this dream, as was she._

"_Lady Sophie," he said simply with a bow of his head, the smile on his face widening. "How many times have I told you? Call me Will."_

"_How many times have I told you to call me Sophie?" Mai smiled politely, her tone even with his own._

_The dark haired man at her side laughed, not relinquishing her hand as he guided her through the cramped walkways of the ship. "Lady Sophie, I know you are unaccustomed to small ships such as this, but I assure you that my brother's crew can get you back to England safely."_

"_I do not doubt your word, William. However, I would like to meet this brother of yours you've spoken so much about."_

"_Try not to fall for him," he said jokingly, but his tone seemed almost imploring, "He's quite the looker."_

_Mai smiled at his words. Over the course of their month traveling together, the two of them had formed an unexpected relationship. One might establish them as lovers, Mai thought, pushing down her blush as she thought of the many nights they spent together. "How could I, when I have you?" she said, watching the relief fall over his features._

_Dream Naru, or William, accompanied Mai into a small room at the end of random corridor they had turned down. A man looking exactly identical to the one next to Mai sat at a small, cluttered desk, his eyes focused intently behind thick glasses on whatever was in front of him. He didn't look up when his brother knocked on the door to get his attention, either._

_William sighed. "Layton, how rude of you."_

"_If you've come in here to flaunt off your latest woman, then I don't want to be bothered with it," the other Naru said coldly, waving his brother off as if he were a fly._

_Mai flushed bright red at the man's nerve. Whereas dream Naru was, just as his title implied, the Naru of her dreams, this one was the colder, realistic version. Something in the pit of Mai's stomach, however, was telling her she was still far off from the truth and suddenly the picture she had seen in Martin's study flashed in the forefront of her mind. A nervous feeling quickly pooled in her gut._

"_Actually, _your majesty_," the brunette shot back quickly, "I was the one who wanted to meet the so-called infamous navigator Layton."_

_The man actually looked up (curious to see what kind of woman had the guts to talk back to him), the intensity in his dark indigo eyes matching, if not surpassing, that of his brother's. Layton regarded her from behind his thick glasses before finally taking them off and rubbing his tight face with a sigh. "I need a break anyway."_

_Mai smiled in triumph as he stood to greet her. "The name's Layton. It's a pleasure to meet you..."_

"_Sophie. And the pleasure is all mine." _

* * *

><p>Bou-san had been right. Mai woke up the next morning the sorest she had ever been. The 5 miles of hiking, plus falling off of a cliff, on top of the fact that she had slept in nothing more than a thin sleeping bag over cold hard concrete was starting to really affect her. She moaned as a gentle hand shook her from the strange dream.<p>

"It's time to wake up, Mai," John's voice called.

Mai rubbed at her eyes, rolling over onto her stomach. She sighed out through her nose, mumbling something under her breath that sounded a lot like, "Leave me alone."

"But Mai, it's time to–"

The brunette merely continued to moan louder, coving her ears with the palms of her hands. "Nooooo."

"Mai," Naru's demanding voice came. "Get up."

"You don't scare me," Mai chuckled, still half-asleep.

Naru sighed, realizing that being threatening while Mai was still partly unconscious was not going to work. "It's time to get up. In fact," he looked at his watch, "it's already noon."

At this information, Mai sighed in defeat, sitting slowly. "I fell off of a cliff! Give me some slack, will you?"

Bou-san laughed from over by the shelter's threshold, "Now how long are you going to milk that excuse, Mai?"

Mai considered the monk's question for a moment. "When my bruises go away," she nodded in agreement with her own statement.

"Speaking of which, you look like you went to hell and back."

"Thanks, Bou-san. You sure know how to make a woman feel beautiful. Ayako is lucky to have you."

The monk laughed, knowing he would surely end up six feet under if he ever told his girlfriend what he had just told Mai. "Just look at your hands."

She lifted her hands, which felt as if they were permanently immobile (she must've slept on them), up to her face, inspecting the swollen bruising skin. Almost 90 percent of her palms, as well as the back of her hands and her knuckles, were darkened with underlying bloody tissue. "Man, it really does look like I fell off of a cliff."

"And you have a black eye," John added regretfully.

Mai gasped. "My first time with a black eye and I can't even see it? Does anyone have a mirror?"

"Naru might," Bou-san jested.

Naru almost smiled at the joke, but decided to move on to more pressing matters. "Mai, you were mumbling in your sleep. Did you have an interesting dream that you would like to share with us?"

"Oh yeah! Okay, so I dreamt that I was being accompanied by a bodyguard on a voyage across Europe back to England. I guess me and said bodyguard were lovers or something like that, because he was warning me not to fall in love with his brother, who was the navigator of the ship we were getting on. We went to go meet him, but he was a total jerk so I showed him up," Mai said, eyeing her boss meaningfully. "And that was about it."

"Do you think the ship you were getting on in the dream was the one that wrecked?" John inquired.

"Most likely," Mai nodded.

"Well, Madoka just called and said a huge storm was coming this way. We were going to go down and check out the shipwreck while it's still low-tide. Do you want to go down with us?" Naru asked, eyeing her now black eye.

"What if I fall again?" Mai inquired slowly.

"Don't be stupid enough to go down the ladder the wrong way next time," Bou-san said, assuming that going down with her back facing the rungs was the reason she had fallen.

Mai rolled her eyes. "That's not the reason I fell, though!"

John and the rest of the team regarded her in confusion. "How exactly did you fall, then?" he asked, his Kansai accent filling the silence.

"I didn't tell you?"

"Tell us _what_?" Bou-san questioned, his frustration evident in his voice.

"Something pulled my leg. That's why I fell. I really didn't tell you guys?" Mai asked, searching her memory for the moment she might've told them. They looked at her stupidly upon hearing the news. It made sense now, though. They definitely would've freaked out a lot more, insisting that they send her home if they knew about the creepy hold on her leg that could've very well sealed her fate. "I guess I didn't." The brunette shrugged.

"You guess – You _guess _you didn't? Mai, why didn't you tell us sooner! What the hell?" Bou-san said, his voice raising.

"How could you possibly forget something like that?" Naru inquired, his voice reaching a dangerously low tone.

"First of all, you know I have a short attention span! And besides, I was kind of unconcerned with that at the time." Mai defended herself with the flimsy excuse she had made up on the spot, looking away from her employer's patronizing eyes.

"That's alright, Mai," John said, coming to the rescue, his smile helping her to regain confidence. "Your safety is all that really matters, right?"

Bou-san sighed, realizing he didn't really have a right to be yelling at her. "John's right. Sorry I raised my voice."

Going down to look at the ship would have to wait Naru thought, returning to his previous Indian-style position on the sleeping bag below. "Care to tell us the full story that so conveniently slipped your mind until now?"

Mai jumped as her breakfast, a bag of chips courtesy of Bou-san, fell into her lap. She looked up with a smile before recounting the horrifying experience. "I guess there's not really much to add…I called out to you guys and said I was going to go down and check out the shipwreck. Actually, now that I think of it, the railing of the ladder was really cold. I mean, I thought it was just because of the frigid air, but I remember suddenly getting really anxious. And then on the second or third step, I felt something yank on my ankle and I slipped."

"Well," Naru started off, crossing his arms, "I think it's best if you avoid the stairs for now. Agreed?"

Mai sighed. "I had a feeling you would say that."

"Would you _like_ to have a ghostly hand pull you to your death?" The pony-tailed monk asked incredulously.

"But now I'm useless, like usual," she said, her head hung low.

Her teammates were shocked into silence. Bou-san and John shared a look before they turned their attention back to the downtrodden girl in front of them.

"Mai, what are you talking about? You're not useless!" Bou-san objected, wrapping his arm around the brunette's shoulder.

John smiled. "That's right! You're an invaluable part of SPR."

"Oh,_ please_," Mai said, rubbing at her tearing eyes, "You guys can give blessings and perform exorcisms and write sutras and protective charms. Masako can actually talk to spirits and Lin is a freaking onmyouji! Naru, you have this crazy qigong thing going Ayako is useful sometimes! But all I ever do is have dreams and make tea and file papers."

"You make light of what you do at SPR, but in all actuality, it's been a big help," Naru said, nodding slowly. "Over the past two years we've been getting much busier. The filing you do not only keeps us organized, but it takes a load off of Lin since it would otherwise be his job."

Mai looked over at Lin only to be rewarded with a small ghost of a smile.

"Tea does wonders for relaxing the body and the mind. I believe your tea helps everyone keep a cool head during cases. Also, your dreams are usually the one thing that will lead us in the right direction during a case when nothing else will. They'll tell us about the situation that may have lead to the haunting (sometimes in explicit detail, whether that may be good or bad), or hint at the people who we should suspect as possible spirits. Quite useful, despite what you think."

Mai nodded shyly at his 'praise', unable to hide the smile on her face.

"And didn't Ayako and Bou-san teach you some protective mantras?" John offered suddenly.

"Whoa, now. Ayako and I are _experienced_. Mai's just a beginner at using them," Bou-san said as a matter-of-factly. "I doubt she'd be able to–"

"Able to what?! I've used your stupid protective charms and I've done a lot of damage with them!"

Naru stood, EMF reader in hand, sighing as their disagreement progressed. "If you're quite finished, I believe the tide will be coming in soon."

John hurried to his side, eager to escape the argument. "Plus Madoka said the forecast showed it would start raining around this time. We'd better hurry."

Mai glared at Bou-san's head as the three of them left the concrete hut. Lin stayed behind and gave her his laptop, setting up a video chat with Madoka. His eyes, however, were giving her a silent warning that he'd get her back if she did anything to his computer.

"Mai!" the pink-haired woman cried as soon as she was on the screen. Mai flinched, nearly letting the computer fall onto the concrete, before she skillfully caught it. "Oh, Mai! They told us what happened! Are you okay? You should come back. We'll take you to a hospital and get you checked out. Naru hardly qualifies as a doctor, I mean come on, what does _he_ know?"

Mai laughed nervously as she watched Lin leave the shelter with one last warning glance, "I'm fine, Madoka. I don't need to go to a hospital, really. No broken bones and no need for stitches. All I have is a black eye and bruised hands. I'm good. Although," Mai trailed off as she unsuccessfully attempted to open the bag of chips Bou-san had handed her earlier. "I could really use some help with this."

Luella appeared on the screen next to Madoka. "Oh, Mai. How about we come get you tomorrow? We'll bring you back here, you can get some real food and a nice hot shower. How about it?"

"That sounds like heaven right about now," Mai agreed with a dreamy sigh, "but I really can't. How could I make you pay for my round trip plane ticket and be absolutely useless?"

"Mai, dear, don't worry about it! We wouldn't mind it one bit. My only regret is letting you get hurt," Luella said, her voice truly apologetic. "Don't tell me he's forcing you to stay there and help?"

"No, no. I'm the one who insisted Nar – I mean, Shibuya-san take the case in the first place. I have to do _something_, if only dreaming."

Luella blinked. "Dreaming? What do you mean?"

"Oh, Mai is a latent psychic and usually assists in cases with her dreams. Kazuya hasn't told you?" Madoka added.

"That boy never tells me anything!" The eldest of the three women pouted.

"It's not really anything significant. He could figure things out without me. I mean, what else did he do before I came along?" Mai shrugged, still struggling to tear open the bag of chips (her persistence fueled by extreme hunger).

"Not really significant?!" Madoka repeated, shocked by the words, "I've heard different."

Mai perked up at her statement. "From who?" The only two people she could think of that were continuously in contact with Madoka who might have told her anything were Naru and Lin. She scoffed at the mental image she had of either of them praising Mai's abilities over the phone to the pink-haired woman.

"I've have my ways," she said mysteriously. "Anyway, how does it look over there? The weather forecast was like, 70 percent chance rain."

Mai glanced out of the rusty window which overlooked the beach below. Just minutes before when Mai had looked out, the sky had been clear, not to mention the most beautiful blue. Now, ominous clouds loomed not far away, being pulled into Mai's direction by the fast, whipping wind. "Looks like it's about to pour soon. The weather here sure changes fast."

"Well, it's about time we let you go." Luella smiled sympathetically. "Mai, are you _sure_ you're okay there? We really wouldn't mind coming to get you."

"Don't worry about me, I fine. I'll talk to you guys later, though, okay? Bye!" Mai smiled, before she closed Lin's laptop, letting it rest on her lap. After a while of sitting in silence, she realized she had yet to eat anything since the previous afternoon and turned her attention to the difficult bag of chips. "I lied. I'm not okay. Someone come and help me…" the brunette whined.

* * *

><p>So I've been miserable and without power for the past five days (due to hurricane Isaac), but my Aunt has power now so I'm over at her house, sucking up her AC and internet and writing for you guys! I hope you enjoy! Feedback and constructive criticism are welcome as always, as are reviews! :))))<p> 


	19. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 5

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked

* * *

><p><em>Mai sighed as she sat down at the old wooden table. "William, I…" she paused, not knowing what she could possibly say to make the situation any better.<em>

_Dream Naru was standing as far as possible from the brunette as the small room allowed, his face buried within his clammy palms. The tension in the air made the two feel as if they both had weights on their shoulders. "How could you? I thought you loved me?"_

"_I _do_ love you, Will–"_

"_YOU SLEPT WITH MY BROTHER!" His voice came out rough and animalistic, and he knocked a flower pot to the polished wooden floors as he whipped around to face her. She jumped back in her chair, scared for the first time by her body guard. "If you loved me, you never would've slept with him."_

"_William, I didn't sleep with your brother!" Sophie admitted weakly. Although she was being truthful, she couldn't deny that she had been developing a bit of a crush on their ship's navigator. However, it would've been against her morals to have slept with him or to have done anything of the sort until she had broken it off with William. She just wasn't that type of person. "It's all just a misunderstanding, I swear–"_

_She was cut off by a sharp slap across her face. "Shut up! I know what I saw!"_

* * *

><p>Mai gasped, sitting up.<p>

'_What exactly did he see?_'

She looked around groggily, noticing that everyone else, save for one suspiciously absent Naru, was peacefully asleep. Realizing her heart was still racing from the dream, Mai took a few seconds to do some deep-breathing exercises that Ayako had once taught her. She stood from her sleeping bag, making sure not to step on Bou-san (who was on her left), and made her way outside.

Naru was hard to miss in the moonlight, wearing his usual all-black attire. He seemed deep in thought, sitting with his legs over the edge of the cliff (but far away from the ladder that Mai had fallen off of the day prior) and looking off into the distance.

Mai took a seat next to him, rubbing her thighs as if to rid them of the frigid night air. She sighed. "What's wrong? Couldn't sleep?"

"No," he said, leaning back on his hands, "just thinking. How are you feeling?"

Mai blushed at the question. Was he concerned? '_Of course he is, Mai, you're an employee, he has to take care of you,_' she sighed after shooting herself down. "I'm okay, really. You guys worry too much."

"Your hands are bruised all the way through. You have a black eye and there's also another bruise forming on your other cheek. You have multiple abrasions on your face and your right leg. And you have a bruise the size of a baseball on your thigh." Naru deadpanned.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Once again, I'm fine. Anyway, what are you thinking about?"

"A lot of things. Mostly about when you fell," he admitted.

"What about it?" Mai asked, exasperated by his reply.

"My mind won't stop running through different scenarios that could've happened. If you had any serious injuries or were unconscious, I'm not sure what we would've done."

The brunette laughed light-heartedly. "But I didn't so it's okay, right?" Naru sighed. He'd been doing that a lot since they had come to England, Mai noticed.

"Think about it, Mai. How could we have gotten you up the ladder? No vehicles can travel this far. A helicopter wouldn't be able to get here. It would take at least four hours for us to go get help, and by then you could've drowned or bled out or..." Naru trailed off, not wanting to delve into the infinite possibilities any further. The mental image of Mai, eyes lifeless as the surf came to retrieve her body, made him physically sick to his stomach.

Honestly, Mai had never thought of what might've happened had she been seriously injured or unconscious. And honestly, she didn't want to. Naru was completely right. She could've very well been a goner. "I didn't think you were the type to dwell on things like that, Naru."

"I'm usually not." Naru said simply, looking over at her shivering form. He shrugged off his jacket, forcing in into her hands.

Mai put it on, albeit reluctantly, reveling in the warmth that it still retained from Naru's body. "I think we should just forget about it. I mean, I'm alive and well, right?"

Naru shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it. It's the most scared I've been in a really long time."

Mai gave a cheerful cackle. "So the mighty Naru _does_ get scared?"

Naru cracked the smallest of smiles. "I may look like a god, but I'm only human."

Mai continued to laugh long after he'd uttered the joke, but it soon quieted into a comfortable silence between the two. The sound of the waves lulled Mai into a dazed, trancelike state. She sighed, content.

Suddenly, the picture from Martin's study popped into the forefront of Mai's mind, interrupting her peaceful reverie. '_Again with this stupid picture_,' the brunette thought in frustration, wondering why her brain subconsciously thought it was such an important piece of information.

Then again, maybe it was. It was possible that the picture was of Naru as a child. But who was the other boy, then? A brother most likely? No, they looked far too similar to be _just_ brothers. Maybe twins? And why was the picture in Martin's study, of all places? Maybe he was an uncle or a close family friend who thought of Naru as a son?

Mai shifted, suddenly uncomfortable in the cold breeze. "Hey, Naru. Something's been really bothering me lately…"

"Hm?" Naru hummed, as if encouraging her to continue.

A cold sweat took hold of Mai, nervousness pooling in her stomach. Maybe this _wasn't_ such a good idea. "You know what? Never mind. It wasn't important anyway. It was actually kind of stupid." She chuckled anxiously.

Naru looked at her with his signature raised eyebrow. "You know, you can tell me if there's something on your mind."

"Well, I was just thinking that, even though we've known each other for two years now, I don't know that much about you."

Naru sat silently, having expected the conversation to go a completely different direction. "What do you want to know?" he inquired slowly, not realizing how tense he had gotten. From the moment he met her, he'd been lying about who he was. There was no way he could tell her any actual information about his life without unraveling these lies. Hell, she was already starting to figure out on her own due to that picture she'd seen in his father's study…

But for reasons he couldn't describe, it was almost as if he wanted her to find out. Naru didn't want to have to lie to her anymore, but at the same time he knew she'd either be furious or feel betrayed at the news. Either way, it was a no-win situation for one unfortunate Naru.

Said teenager's innermost thoughts were interrupted by Mai's soft voice. "I just wish you felt at ease enough around me to talk to me about your childhood and stuff."

"I'm not uncomfortable around you…"

"Well, that much is good, I guess," Mai forced a smile, knowing his words were probably untrue. But why on earth was he lying to her? Did he have some horrible past that he just didn't want her to know about? Her heart pounded in anticipation. She patted his hand before standing up. "Anyway, we might as well go back and–"

Naru caught her wrist before she had the chance to leave his side. "You had a dream, didn't you?"

Mai paused, looking down at her boss in alarm. How had he known? No, she shouldn't be so surprised. After all, it was normal for her to get up in the middle of the night because of her dreams. It shouldn't come as a shock to her for Naru to assume that she'd had a dream. However, a tiny voice in the back of her head (what she liked to call her intuition) was telling her otherwise. "I-I did. I was just going to tell you about it in the morning, though."

"Why, when you're already with me and it's still fresh in your mind?" Naru looked up at her, his customary impassive expression unchanging.

"Well," Mai looked at him apprehensively, unable to shake the strange feeling she had gotten after she stood up, "I guess. Why not?" She sat back down at his side, making herself comfortable again (thankful that her spot was still somewhat warm).

"It started with me and William, you know, my 'supposed' bodyguard, alone in this empty room. It was really tense. I tried to apologize for something, I think, when he started going at me for sleeping with his brother Layton, although I knew I hadn't really. I tried to deny it, but he slapped me really hard across the face and that's when I woke up," Mai shrugged, nodding.

"Do you know if they were still on the boat?"

"I don't really remember," Mai said regretfully. Her one and only job was to dream, and she couldn't even do _that _properly.

Sensing her distress, Naru quickly reassured her, "This dream will be able to help us, Mai, if only a little."

"You think so?" Mai smiled.

"I know so."

* * *

><p>Mai woke the next morning, or more accurately early afternoon, to the sounds of seagulls crying, waves crashing, and men talking. She groaned as she sat up, making her consciousness known.<p>

Bou-san looked away from Lin's laptop, which all four men were gathered around, and over towards Mai with a cheerful grin. "Good morning, sunshine!"

Mai, who had regretfully not gotten much sleep the night before, glared at him through squinted eyes. She could feel her hair defying gravity (as it usually did when she didn't get a good night's rest) and the dried saliva at the corner of her mouth. She quickly brought her hands up to hide her horrid appearance, suddenly very self-consciously, but played it off as rubbing her face. "What's up?" She mumbled hoarsely.

"We're helping Lin research," Bou-san said informatively, digging in his backpack for her breakfast – a Ziploc bag of crushed cereal. He laughed apologetically as Mai looked at the bag in disinterest. "Sorry it's crushed. But, hey, it's your favorite!"

"I'm beginning to doubt Naru's decision in letting you pack the food," Mai said wearily.

"What?!" the monk cried, offended by her statement.

Naru didn't even turn around as he countered Mai's insult. "Well, did _you_ offer to pack the food?"

The brunette pouted. "Anyway, what are you all huddled around Lin's computer for?"

"I already told you!" Said Bou-san defiantly, still slighted.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Well, what are you helping Lin investigate…?"

"The case, obviously," Naru deadpanned, only succeeding in pissing Mai off even further.

The brunette crossed her arms, glaring at the narcissist. They'd had a really nice moment last night and he was going to ruin her good mood with that attitude of his. "Wow, is today 'be an asshole day,' or what?"

John offered her solace in his calming smile. "We're just making suggestions as to what Lin-san should search."

"Actually we're just bored," Bou-san sighed.

"Well, have you found anything?" Mai inquired, sticking her head in between Naru's and Lin's as she munched on her breakfast as quietly as possible.

"Not yet," Lin said, "would you like to make a suggestion, Taniyama-san?"

"Hmm. Why don't you search…"

The words _SS Falcon_ flashed across the forefront of Mai's mind. Maybe this was dream Naru's way of giving her clues?

"'_SS Falcon shipwreck,_'" she said, nodding in agreement with herself.

Naru looked at her pointedly, but before he could inquire about the mysterious suggestion, the search results popped up on the screen. "There it is," Bou-san said incredulously, pointing to a certain link that had a picture of the wreckage that mirrored the one they were investigating next to it.

Lin clicked on the link, reading the description of the incident provided by the website, "The iron-screw steamer SS Falcon owned by the General Steam Navigation Company was wrecked off the Dover coast (Langdon Bay) in 1926. She was carrying a cargo of hemp and matches which unsurprisingly perhaps caught fire, and she grounded whilst ablaze. The remains are in surprisingly good condition after over 80 years, due to the thick steel hull. The shipwreck can be reached by descending a steep zig zag path down the Langdon cliffs."

John's eyebrows knit together in confusion. "But Mai, how did you know to search that?"

"Did you see it in a dream?" Bou-san inquired.

"Not really?" Mai sighed, glancing over at her boss. Naru kept his mouth sewn shut in a straight line, but with his intense gaze focused on the brunette, she could tell that her employer definitely wanted these questions answered. Did he think she was holding back information? Mai laughed nervously. "I don't know. It just came to me, you know?"

"No, I _don't_ know," Bou-san deadpanned.

_Today was _definitely_ 'be an asshole day'._

"Well, all that matters is that we found the information," Mai said smugly, crossing her arms.

"The only problem is that it doesn't say anything about the people in your dream, Mai," John said as he leaned away from the screen, disappointed with the realization.

"Hmm," Mai hummed, lying back down on her sleeping bag. "And you guys didn't get any EMF readings whatsoever yesterday when you went down?"

"Nothing," Naru confirmed.

"Maybe if I sleep on it something will come to me?" Mai joked before dozing off. Little did she know, it would.

* * *

><p>"<em>Layton," Mai breathed heavily, looking behind her in anticipation as she entered the navigation room. Closing the door behind her, she nearly flew to his desk.<em>

"_Sophie?" The second dream Naru inquired, standing in alarm. "What's the matter? Is something wrong?"_

"_It's William. There's something weird about him lately," her voice was desperate, trembling. "I'm scared."_

_Unsure of how else to console the girl, Layton opened his arms and brought her into his chest. "It's going to be okay. I promise."_

_Mai closed her eyes tightly, returning the hug. "I trust you, Layton."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Excuse me, have you seen William anywhere?" Mai inquired a passing crewmember. The man shrugged, motioning to the man's room. When they were staying on the SS Falcon it was so easy to tell when someone was or wasn't in their room.<em>

_The ship had been so small and the walls so thin, you could practically hear the other person's every move. But once they had checked into the hotel they were staying at, she never had a clue where William was, even though he was her body guard, for God's sake. It was like he was slinking around behind her back._

_Mai nodded at the shipman, letting him pass. She turned to William's door and knocked. When there was no reply, she opened the door._

_Mai sighed. The lights were off and the room looked untouched. But a bottle sat on the middle of William's bed, catching Mai's attention. She picked it up, curiosity getting the better of her as she read the label, 'Chloroform'–_

_Before the shock of what she was looking at could settle it, a strong clothed hand covered her mouth, forcing her to inhale the sickly sweet gas as she went to scream._

"_Curiosity killed the cat, Sophie. I thought you were smart enough to know that."_

* * *

><p><em>How long had she been in there, exactly? She couldn't remember. Had it been hours? Days? Weeks? Months? There was nothing in the small grey room to indicate how long she had been locked away. Mai pulled helplessly on the handcuffs that bound her to the uncomfortable bed, wincing at how sore her skin was. The only times she had been allowed out of the room were to go to the bathroom, and even then William's hold on her was so strong that she'd have bruises the next morning.<em>

_She jumped, startled, as the doorknob turned, signaling William's entrance with dinner._

"_Sophie, dear, I hope you're hungry," he called, the cheerful tone in his voice that she used to find completely normal, now sounding to be on the edge of insanity._

"_William, please. Someone's going to come looking for me soon and I don't want you to get in trouble when they find me. So," she offered, trying desperately not to sound too frantic in her request, "why don't you just let me go, okay? Everything will be fine if you just let me out of here–"_

"_Shut up," he said, throwing her dinner across the room. "YOU ALWAYS SAY THE SAME THING! WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING THAT?!"_

_Mai winced, ducking away from him as he went into a full-blown outrage. How long would this go on before someone found her, she wondered._

Please, Layton, come save me.

* * *

><p><em>Soft hands caressed her face. Mai leaned into the warmth, sighing contently. "Sophie, wake up," came the kind voice she had longed to hear.<em>

"_Layton," she said, smiling, although her eyes were still closed. It must've been a dream, she concluded, a nice break from all of the nightmares she had been having ever since William had locked her up. She reached up to touch him. "Where have you been, Layton? William, he…" she trailed off, frowning._

"_Sophie, I know, it's okay. I'm here to take you back with me," he said gently. "You're going to have to open your eyes, okay? We need to hurry up before William realizes I've stolen his keys."_

_Her eyes snapped open in shock as she registered that she was definitely not dreaming. After blinking a couple of times to get her eyes used to the lighting, she latched onto his shoulders, bringing him closer to her. "Layton, my god, how did you find me?"_

"_I'll tell you later. Right now we have to get out of here as soon as possible."_

_Tears ran down her cheeks as the man unlocked her handcuffs and carried her from the dingy room to freedom. "I love you. I love you," she sobbed, helplessly._

"_I know. It's okay, Sophie, you're safe now."_

* * *

><p>"<em>I'll show her. I <em>never _needed her. No, I'll show _them_," William whispered to the blindingly white wall in front of him as he twisted out of his straight jacket. "And he calls himself a brother, stealing the only women I ever loved away from me."_

_A sick cackle passed his lips as he tied the arms of the straight jacket into a noose._

"_Yes, I'll show them."_

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh, Layton," Mai said breathlessly, covering her mouth as her eyes traveled across the newspaper's headline over and over again. "Come see."<em>

"_What's wrong, Sophie?" Layton inquired, on-guard (he had been ever since her 'kidnap'). He exited the kitchenette of their hotel room with a hot cup of coffee, reading over her shoulder. "'Man admitted to insane asylum manages to commit suicide.'" Below was a picture of his very own brother._

_Seeing the headline was like getting the wind knocked out of him. He dearly loved his brother._

_Not sure how exactly he should react to the news, Layton just sat in the chair next to Sophie covering his mouth in shock. _

"_I'm so sorry, Layton. I'm so sorry."_

* * *

><p>Hey! How's everyone doing? Sorry about the extremely late update. School has been kicking me in the butt! Plus I'm working three days a week and I'm the president of a club at school (which I never expected would require so much work!)<p>

I think I'm just so busy because it's the beginning of the school year. We've still got Open House ad all this other stuff to get through. Second semester should be much smoother, and hopefully I'll also be able to update over the holidays.

By the way, if anyone's confused as to what all of these dreams mean, it will be thoroughly explained in the next chapter, which I will start working on right now!


	20. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 6

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked

* * *

><p>Mai jolted awake, her breathing labored. She replayed the events in her dreams for the next couple of minutes, keeping her eyes closed as she soaked up the cool, salty air.<p>

The cogs within Mai's mind began to turn, clicking different things into place as she reflected. What William had said when he was in the insane asylum, why he killed himself – it all made sense now! He wanted to become a ghost and torture others just like they had done to him by taking Sophie away. Or at least it was Mai's theory on the subject.

But then why was he haunting the boat, of all places? The boat had nothing to do with his death, in fact, the boat crashed long after the incident happened. It wasn't even the place where William was holding Sophie captive.

Well, she still had _some _kinks to work out of her theory.

When Mai realized that she was alone, she opened her eyes. The orange tint outside told her it was dusk and, if she was right in her assumptions, the beginning of high-tide. She must've been sleeping for a good amount of time to have woken up as the sun was setting. The boys were probably down by the ship 'investigating'.

The brunette sat up, her joints cracking with the stress of movement. She moaned in pain as she stood up and put her coat on, walking outside. Mai's body was soon wracked by violent shivers as the harsh wind cut through her coat like a knife. Geez, the _only_ coat she packs and it isn't even effective. She hadn't expected England to be much colder than Japan, but boy had she been wrong.

Mai leaned over the railing to see her four co-workers walking around in the rising tide with their pants rolled up to their knees.

"N-Naru!" she called through her chattering teeth, waving. Naru took a second to look up at her, excused himself, and made his way up the ladder. She could see Bou-san and John snickering as their boss turned his back to them, probably joking about his and Mai's 'secret relationship'.

Mai couldn't help but smile.

"Are you alright?" was his first question when he reached her.

Mai rubbed her arms subconsciously. "I'm f-fine. Why?"

"You look pale. You had a dream, didn't you?" He shrugged off his jacket, much like he had the night prior, handing it over to her.

"I t-told you, I'm fine," the brunette insisted, pushed the item away. "Anyway, I did have a dream. Multiple, in fact. I think I know–"

"We're not talking about this until you take the jacket."

"I told you I'm fine! Would you just listen to me?"

"You're shivering."

"Just let me tell you–"

"No."

"But you'll be cold, Naru!"

"I'm used to the cold."

_I'm used to the cold._ The words echoed in Mai's mind. He was used to the cold. But he lived in Japan, didn't he? And Japan was rarely so cold, maybe only a few weeks out of the year. No, now that she thought of it, Naru had never specifically told her that he lived in Japan. She had only assumed so.

She took the jacket with a trembling hand. "O-Oh, okay."

Realizing his slip-up, Naru changed the subject as fast as possible. "Actually, we should probably go inside. It's getting dark."

Mai frowned at his suggestion. Here she was, attempting to be helpful, and here he is changing the subject and stalling. It just made no sense. Usually he'd be threatening to dock her pay if she didn't tell him. "Okay," she said simply. She slipped on Naru's warm jacket and attempted to button it.

Her bruised and weak fingers trembled with the strain of trying to push each button into its hole. Naru sighed, gently pushing her hands away and taking over the job for her.

Sensing a raising anger from his assistant, Naru once again redirected her attention as he continued to button the jacket, "You haven't eaten all day, have you?"

"Mmm," Mai hummed, hearing but not really listening to Naru's words.

"You should go eat something before you pass out and blame it on me," Naru tried again, waiting for a better reaction.

Mai nodded again, but didn't move. Not what he'd expected from his normally fiery assistant. Naru sighed, wondering if it was his slip-up earlier that had her spaced out. Placing a gentle enough hand on her back, he led her to their temporary shelter and began rummaging through Bou-san's backpack in search for food.

Mai sighed in relief, finally able to relax now that she was being sheltered from the harsh wind. "So about my dreams…It was like a series of events. Basically, William–"

A force tugging on the back of her (or rather Naru's) jacket caused a shriek to escape Mai's lips as she stubble backwards into the darkness of the shelter. She quickly brought her right foot back in order to compensate for the shift of weight and stepped on what felt like a rock.

The brunette hissed under her breath, recoiling from the darkness. Her breath labored and her heart feeling ready to pop right out of her chest, Mai twisted her arm back to feel if there was something on the jacket that could've caused the strange phenomena. But nothing was on the jacket. And there was nothing in the darkness of the shelter.

"Mai?" Naru stood, shocked by her sudden outburst. He had been so busy with finding her something to eat that he had missed whatever had transpired. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she whispered, slowly inching away from the area she had just been standing in.

Her employer's eyes widened at the small spots of red that trailed behind her right foot. "Mai, did you step on something? You're bleeding."

"I just stepped on a rock or something…It shouldn't be _that _bad–" Mai said, grabbing onto Naru's shoulder as she began to lift her foot. She sucked in a deep breath as the image of the entire bottom of her foot soaked with blood swam into her cloudy vision. "Oh, that is definitely blood. That's a _lot _of blood."

Naru cursed under his breath and grabbed her by the arms. After helping her get into a sitting position on her sleeping bag, he managed to find some napkins to wipe up the blood and a first aid kit. "Why were you barefoot in the first place, Mai?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on going very far," she said defensively, although taking the injury better than expected.

"What happened exactly?"

"Something pulled me back! I felt something grab the jacket and pull me back. I think I just stepped on a sharp rock, though."

Naru looked at her knowingly. "Do you think it could've been–"

"William's ghost? Yes! I was just about to recap the dreams I had last night when it happened. Like he's trying to stop me from telling you."

Bou-san entered the shelter at that moment, taking off his heavy overcoat and throwing it over by his backpack. "You missed it!" he said with a chuckle, "John tripped on a rock and got totally soaked–" his eyes caught sight of Mai's injury, "Oh my god, what _happened_?!"

"Would you get a flashlight and look over in that corner on the ground? Mai thinks she might've stepped on a rock, but from the way the cut appears I think it might've been glass," Naru deducted, after he had finally cleaned the heel of her foot with an alcohol coated wipe.

"Uh, sure," the monk set to his task and lit up the dark area once he had found a flashlight somewhere in the confines of his backpack. "You're right. Looks like a broken beer bottle."

Naru sighed, tenderly wiping off the rest of her foot. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"I'm okay, really. I can't even feel it!" Mai reassured. She bit her lip, genuinely worried that this was the straw to break the camel's back. Was Naru going to send her back now? He looked just about done. "That sure was a lot of blood for only a prick."

"The human foot has a lot of capillaries. But it looks like you stepped on that glass pretty hard."

"Um," Mai looked at him apprehensively, "You're not going to send me back to the house because of this, right?"

"No," Naru shook his head, "that would be pointless."

"Pointless?" Mai inquired.

"This case," Naru stood, dropping the handful of bloody napkins into a trash bag, "is ending tomorrow."

"But we don't even know exactly what William is haunting!" Mai objected. "How can we perform an exorcism?"

"I have a pretty good feeling I know where he's residing," Naru said, a ghost of a smile flickering across the stoic man's face.

* * *

><p>Mai released a long breath as she reached the bottom of the ladder. John smiled, looking especially dashing in his robes. He put an arm around the brunette's shoulders as if to keep her from falling. "See, it wasn't <em>so <em>bad. How is your foot doing?"

"It hurts a little, but I think I'll be fine if I support myself with my other foot."

"Is everybody ready?" Naru inquired pointedly, turning around to glower at the two who were still chit-chatting. Bou-san stood in front of the ship's ruins eyes closed and in deep thought. First up was a cleansing and then John was going to perform a exorcism afterwards, just to be extra sure that anything there was gone for sure.

Naru had picked the shipwreck as the exorcism spot, and while it might've been the obvious place to start at, there's really no sure way to tell what a spirit is haunting. It's easier when the object is inside of a building, that way you can just exorcise the building instead of the actual object. In this case, however, they had no choice other than to pick a spot.

Naru had come to the conclusion that the ship was where Layton and Sophie had first met and where William realized that Sophie was being taken away from him, and therefore the place that William felt he needed to occupy.

Mai held her breath as Bou-san began to chant. She was slightly upset with the way this case had ended up. In the end, Naru hadn't even needed her to tell him about her dreams. He'd already had everything planned out in that pretty little narcissistic head of his.

So here she is, trying her hardest to get information through her dreams. And here Naru is, connecting the dots all on his own without even asking for assistance. He complains that she does nothing, when really he's doing all the work for her?

He could do it all on his own. In all honesty, Naru could run SPR all on his own, without even Lin to help him. So why did he have a whole entire team? This deeply troubled Mai. In fact, a lot of things about Naru puzzled the brunette. Maybe all of these things had to do with his true past?

"–ai! Watch out!"

Mai snapped out of her reverie only to be pulled out of the way of a flying rock. The wet gravel beach beneath her shifted under the sudden change in weight and her foot suddenly sunk, buried beneath the rocks. "Wha–?" she sputtered in shock.

Lin, who had pulled her out of the way of the earlier projectile, offered her a second hand to grab onto. He tried to lift her up, but the girl wouldn't budge from her spot.

"_What?_" The onmyouji's eyes widened. The brunette blushed a deep shade of red, thinking at first that it might've been her own weight keeping her down. But surely a guy as big as Lin should've been able to lift a girl Mai's size easy-peesy.

Something had her leg. Something was _holding _her down.

With this realization, Mai began to cry. "Lin-san," she called helplessly, her heart pounding so loudly in her ears that she barely hear anything else.

Bou-san almost stopped his chanting to turn around, but Naru urged him to continue. "_On Habahabakiuta Sabasabakitsudokan. On Datagatonaubebaya Sowaka._"

"Lin-san, I'm sinking!" she cried, as her legs became gradually swallowed up by the granite rocks.

The tall man was actually breaking a sweat trying to resurface the other half of Mai's body, but to no avail. The harder he pulled, the faster she sunk (much like quicksand). All Lin could do was try his best to get her out, although he was being careful not to pull Mai's arms out of their sockets.

"_On Batamarinau Habaya Sowaka. On Bazaramagini Harachihataya Sowaka._"

But Lin reassured her, "Just hold on, Mai. Hold on!"

Finally, Bou-san reached the end of his chant, "_Taritsutaboritsu Haraboritsu. Takimeitakimei Karasantan'uenbi Sowaka!_"

The ground grew calm, and Lin pulled Mai out with a final heave, only to fall back with her trembling form on top of him.

"Everyone still alive?" Bou-san turned around and inquired with a nervous laugh, almost afraid of the actual answer. After a quick head count, the monk sighed in relief. "Shoot, Mai. From the way you were crying I thought you were a goner!"

"_You_ thought I was a goner?!" she cried with a hoarse voice, burying her face into Lin's chest.

"John-san, please perform you exorcism quickly," Naru said impatiently.

Sighing with relief, the blond stood in front of the shipwreck and wasted no time doing his quickie exorcism, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

The air around them seemed to lift and become cleaner.

Mai sighed, standing and eventually helping Lin to stand as well. "It's over. Thank god."

* * *

><p>Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ey guys. Sorry it took so long! I know, I know, there's no excuse...but, you know, school right now is crazy, teachers are just redic with all of the work they give out, etc.<p> 


	21. File 4: Shipwrecked :: 7

Behind Closed Doors

File 4: Shipwrecked (the aftermath)

* * *

><p>Mai slouched lower onto the comfortable Victorian styled couch that sat in the den of the Davis household. For what felt like the first time during the entire trip, Mai relaxed, finally letting her muscles de-tense and her joints loosen (hearing a couple of pops and cracks as a result). She sighed, her weary eyes shutting of their own accord, the grandfather clock in the corner lulling her into a daze-like state.<p>

"You're going to have a sore neck if you fall asleep there."

The familiar voice jolted her, but not even that shock was enough to pull Mai out of her position. Tilting her head back as far as possible without straining herself, the brunette was able to manage a soft smile for her boss. She patted the space next to her, "Come sit with me."

Naru obliged, coming to sit within a respectful distance away from his assistant. "I thought you of all people would be the first to head off to bed."

"I'm trying to stick it out," Mai chuckled a bit, "Luella-san wanted to talk to me about something, although I'm not sure what."

Naru tensed noticeably. He could only hope that it had nothing to do with Gene or that he and said deceased twin brother were, in fact, Luella and Martin's adopted sons. Or the fact that he happened to be a world-renowned psychic.

Mai noticed his sudden stiffness. Obviously Luella had a hold on some delicate information that her stoic boss did not want anyone else to know about. And Mai had the strangest feeling that it had something to do with a particular picture that she had seen in Martin's study their first day in England. "You okay?"

"It seems this case has taken a toll on everyone, including myself," he replied after a second of hesitation.

Knowing that his words were meant to get her off of the subject, Mai sighed, "Yes, this case was particularly exhausting."

"Speaking of which, how are you feeling?" Naru inquired casually.

"A lot better, actually," she played along with a smile, glancing over her aching body, "My bruises are starting to yellow, so that's good. I think this cut on my eyebrow is going to scar, though." The brunette ran her fingers over the scabbed skin, wincing.

When Mai didn't hear a reply, she looked up to her boss staring intently at her (and sitting a hell of a lot closer than before). "Naru? Are you sure you're okay?"

He leaned a bit closer. "Mai, I–"

"Oh, _Shibuya-san_, I thought you had already gone off to bed?" Luella's voice came from behind the couch. "Why don't you join Mai and myself for some tea?"

Naru gave his mother the hardest glare he could conjure. "No, I was just leaving."

"That's too bad," Luella said, not even trying to hide the knowing smile on her face. "Good night."

After Naru had left the room, Luella took his spot on the couch next to the brunette. "Oh, dear. Look at you, all beat up," she said, her voice more apologetic than Mai had intended, as she poured two cups of tea.

"Occupational hazard, I guess," Mai chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood, reaching for her respective cup and saucer. Luella, however, looked at the younger girl somberly and Mai knew the mood hadn't lightened in the slightest.

"You need to go to a hospital, Mai."

Luckily, Mai had anticipated this suggestion and had come up with a response before hand. "You're concern is appreciated, but I've already caused Naru enough trouble to last a lifetime. If there is something wrong with me, I'd rather him not know about it," the brunette said timidly. "Ayako-san will probably give me a full examination when I get home anyway, whether I like it or not." She rolled her eyes.

Luella slumped in defeated, taking a sip of her own tea. "You have good friends. But do you not consider Shibuya-san a friend?"

Mai blushed at the elder woman's words. "I guess I'm not exactly sure how to describe our relationship. Naru merely sees me as his lazy, good-for-nothing, assistant that falls asleep on the job. I see him as…"

"Something more than a friend?"

"Oh, no! Naru and I can't even have a decent conversation without getting into an argument. I would hardly call us…'more than friends'."

"But you want to be," Luella suggested, much to Mai's embarrassment. Mai saw something shine in her eyes, but couldn't quite manage to place it.

"Is…this what you wanted to talk about?"

"No." The air of the room became tense as Luella's expression turned into one of seriousness. "No, not at all."

Mai waited, heart pounding and palms sweating, for the older woman's next response.

"I know you have questions concerning Shibuya-san. I am here to answer a few of them," she said hesitantly.

Mai sat in stunned silence for the next few seconds, letting the words register in her mind. She had a list as long as Santa's and was ready to shoot away. "Are you–"

Something stopped the words in her throat.

She couldn't do it – she felt as though asking these questions would betray Naru. Mai shook her head shamefully, "I can't…not like this. If Naru wants me to know, he'll tell me when he's ready."

Luella smiled with relief. "You're a good person."

"Perhaps too good," Mai replied jokingly.

"I'll walk you to your room." Luella smiled and they stood, their tea forgotten on the table. When they arrived at Mai's door, Luella paused once more, her hand gripping lightly at Mai's arm. "I know you feel that Noll sees you as nothing more than his assistant, but when the time comes…please stay by his side. You are the only one he has left, and I'm not sure he could handle the future without you."

Mai frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Luella smiled, "just remember what I said, okay?"

Mai watched as she disappeared around the corner and sighed. "What was that about?"

* * *

><p><em>Mai blinked at the endless darkness before her eyes. It was one of those dreams, she concluded. But they had already finished their case…? Could it be that it wasn't over yet?<em>

_Suddenly an onslaught of static voices – mainly hers and Naru's – came out of nowhere._

"_You'd better start looking for another job, Mai."_

"_What?"_

"_The office will be shut down upon my return."_

"_If you go back right now, you may never meet him again"_

"_All relationships eventually come to an end"_

"_Naru has always been searching for this place…"_

_The tears Mai hadn't realized coming pricked at her eyes, feelings of disbelief and shock coiled into the pit of her stomach. _

_What on earth is about to happen?_


	22. File 5: The Lake :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 5: The Lake

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you got us lost, Bou-san."<p>

"Well, we wouldn't have missed the turn if Ayako weren't such a backseat driver."

"What did you say, old man?! You're lucky me, Masako, and Yasuhara even bothered to come pick you guys up from the airport." While they had left the SPR van at the airport's parking lot for the duration of the trip, it wasn't enough to bring all of them back home.

"Old man?! Why I ought to make you walk from here."

Mai shushed them, pointing out of the window as the narrow dirt road that they had taken led them to an opening. "Look, it's a camp grounds!"

"And there's the road we're supposed to be on," Bou-san commented, motioning towards the levee in the distance.

"Wouldn't it have been nice if we could've camped here?" Mai said dreamily. After their last case in London, all she wanted was a break from traveling. A nice day surrounded by nature and breathing in the fresh air would really do her some good.

John nodded as the car took the dirt road up the levee and merged onto the road that they were supposed to be on, giving them a better view of the campgrounds. "Definitely!"

The lake just off of the campgrounds seemed teeming with excitement and life as the campers stripped down to their bathing suits and jumped in. The noon sun reflected dangerously off of the water, making the hot summer day seem even more so.

A particular redhead in the back seat scrunched her nose. "No way, there're too many bugs here – OW!" Ayako's head slammed into the back of Bou-san's headrest as the car screeched to a stop. "What on earth are you doing? Idiot!"

"I couldn't help it, Lin's car just suddenly stopped!" Bou-san said in defense, his face wrinkling in disgust as the smell of burnt rubbed seeped into the car.

Mai leaned forward with a frown, looking over Yasuhara's shoulder at the map. "What, are we lost again?"

The young scholar brought the map closer to his face, clearly confused. If he was indeed reading this map correctly, which of course he was, they had just merged onto the road that should lead them directly into Shibuya. "No, I don't think so…?" His unanswered question hung heavily in the air.

"Oh, its Naru," Mai said, watching as her boss – entirely clad in black as usual, even on this hot summer day – exited Lin's car. He all but scrambled to the railing along the levee and leaned out, his face pale and sickly as he looked towards the lake. A sudden feeling of dread settled in Mai's stomach. "Oh no, he doesn't look too good."

The brunette opened the car door, sweat already forming on her forehead and upper lip. Whether it was from the sudden anxiety she was feeling or simply the blistering temperature outside (or both), Mai wasn't quite sure.

She yelled at him from across the road, "Naru, are you alright?"

Naru did not answer. His hands gripped the railing, knuckles growing whiter by the second, his eyes widening in realization.

"What's wrong?" Lin's strong voice caused a shiver to wrack Mai's spine. She hadn't even noticed him next to her. "Naru?"

That's when the realization hit Lin. The same realization that had hit Naru as he stared off into the distance at the glaring lake. "This is the place–?"

Mai wanted to know too, because whatever it was, it seemed important enough to draw more emotion than she had ever seen onto her boss's usually impassive face. Desperation, fear, anger, frustration, regret, and so much more. The lump in Mai's throat grew larger.

"Finally, I've found it."

Found what, Naru? That question seemed to nestle into Mai's brain and hatched, releasing tens of thousands of other questions. Like maggots crawling around and festering within her brain, trying to find away out. But Mai's lips remained in a straight line as she watched her boss stare out into the distance. Into the blinding lake.

* * *

><p>"What's going on? I though we were on our way back, why are we suddenly stopping here? Is something wrong?" Ayako interrogated, fanning herself from the summer heat as the group waited outside of the campsite's information center.<p>

"I have some business here. You guys should leave for Tokyo first."

"G-Go on ahead?" Mai muttered, looking back at Masako in question, hoping that she'd maybe have a clue as to what was going on.

Naru's voice turned hard. "You're in my way here. Go back."

Mai flinched at his response. "When will you get back?"

"I don't know," came his immediate reply.

"Don't know?" Mai said in disbelief, trying to wrap her brain around her employer's sudden indifference. "What about the office?"

"It'll be closed."

The words hadn't quite sunk in, yet. "C-Closed?" The office closed? Mai had never even thought of the possibility.

"You'd better look for another job, Mai."

With that, the words had finally sunk in. Mai's eyes widened as, what seemed like her whole world, crashed around her. Naru was closing SPR. Her sanctuary, her hobby, her life, and most importantly her connection to Naru himself as well as her 'family'. It was being _abolished_ right in front of her. There was a moment of pregnant silence before which Mai could even bring herself to speak. "…What?"

"The office will be shut down upon my return," Naru reiterated.

She remembered him saying this before. It was the dream she had the night before they had left England. What did this mean, though?

"SHUT DOWN?" Ayako and Bou-san exclaimed simultaneously. Suddenly a myriad of questions were being asked.

"You're closing the business?!"

"Why?"

"Please explain to us!"

And, of course, Yasuhara's attempted joke, "Shibuya-san, are you going on summer vacation?"

Naru held his hand up to silence them, a sigh of frustration exiting his lips. "Can't you guys be quiet?"

Mai raised a timid hand. "Shutting down the office means you're quitting, right? Why?"

Naru turned his eyes on her, contemplating the mixture of shock and fear in her expression. "I have my own circumstances."

With anger suddenly bubbling in her chest, Mai gave him the sternest look she could manage. "Please explain them! If I'm being dismissed I want to know the circumstances."

Naru crossed his arms – he meant business. "I don't feel it necessary to give an explanation to you."

Her determined cinnamon gaze clashed with his unrelenting blue orbs. "Look here–" she started.

"Ah, alright. I surrender!" Bou-san exclaimed. Mai turned around to face the monk in shock. "I surrender to this heat. But we can stay at that bungalow and give him a hand."

Naru's glare was now being directed at the monk. "Bou-san, you're in the way."

Bou-san sighed, willing to be just as stubborn as the boy in front of him. "I still haven't heard your circumstances. So how about it, everyone? Ready to go home?"

Mai and Ayako looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

"I say we stay here," Yasuhara agreed firmly, raising his hand. John followed the other boy's actions.

"Masako?" Bou-san inquired, his eyebrows raised as he waited for her reply.

"I think…I'm staying."

"What about Mai and Ayako?" Bou-san said, his eyes hard.

"Wh-What should we do Mai?" Ayako said, unsure.

"Uh," the brunette wavered, forcing herself to look away from Naru and focus her attention on Ayako. As much as her body was telling her to hightail it back home and get some rest, her heart was telling her to stay.

Masako came quietly to her side. "You should stay. If you go back right no, you may never meet him again."

Mai heart sunk as she realized that these words too had been in her dream the other night. How did she not see this coming? What was she going to do? She had to stay…if this was her last chance to see Naru. She looked over at her boss, who redirected his eyes away from hers.

"I'll stay, but…" Mai paused. She didn't exactly have the financial ability to do so.

Bou-san grinned, mussing up the younger girl's hair under his big palm. "I'll take care of your expenses."

Mai grinned and thanked him.

"Wait, are we really going to stay here?" Ayako said, finally realizing what she had agreed to. "Isn't there a hotel? There are a lot of bugs here!"

"Would you rather go home?" Bou-san challenged his girlfriend.

Ayako fumed. "I'M STAYING!"

"It's decided then! Let's go to our cabin then," Bou-san suggested, getting his bags from the car with a smile.

Mai turned her attention to Naru once again, as everyone became preoccupied with getting their things from the car. What is happening? 'You won't be able to see him again.' What does all of that mean?

* * *

><p>Mai huffed at the horrible heat as she climbed the stairs to Bou-san, John, and Yasuhara's cabin. She reached out to knock on the door, but paused when she heard Bou-san's muffled voice from inside.<p>

"–so that's why. Doesn't it seem like Naru is making a gamble?"

Mai frowned. A gamble? What on earth were they talking about? She knocked twice and was almost knocked backwards from the shock of Bou-san quickly opening the door.

"What? Oh, its just Mai."

"Ayako says she needs to go shopping." A smile formed on Mai's face. "What's this, you three having your little talk?"

"If that's so, I'll come along and help," the priest offered with a smile and stood up.

"Then I'll sort out the luggage," Yasuhara said, turning around to set out on said task.

They had scattered and avoided the subject, Mai noticed. She looked at her feet with downcast eyes. "You know, I only stayed because Masako said we may never meet again…"

"I see." Bou-san came to stand closer to her, putting a comforting hand on her head. "We should remember…that all relationships eventually come to an end."

But that wasn't what Mai wanted to hear from him. She nodded and sighed, "You're right." Besides work, Mai had no other method to contact Naru. She didn't even know his phone number. "Now that I think about it, I don't know a lot about your families either."

Bou-san, John, and Yasuhara looked at each other. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Outside of the times when we work on cases together, I don't know where or what everyone does…" The truth was that Mai was frightened to death about not being able to contact her makeshift family after SPR was closed down.

They had gone from bickering all of the time (although they still did from time to time) to becoming such a close-knit group of friends. They had been through so much together. But outside of work they never really did anything together. Mai knew close to nothing about their private lives, and they knew nothing about hers…

"What's wrong, Mai? You're spacing out."

Mai smiled shaking her head, "No, nothing!"

'_I suddenly feel so lonely…'_

"Mai-san…" John started, sensing her distress.

"HEY," Ayako yelled as she threw the door to the cabin open with a force no one (besides Bou-san) realized she had. "How long are you guys going to take? The shops are going to close soon if we don't hurry!"

"Geez, we were just about to leave," Bou-san stated before grabbing his keys and rushing passed her before she could beat him.

John left after him, followed by Mai. "Don't forget to buy the broth!" Ayako ordered, cramming a piece of paper, probably the list of groceries, into Mai's hands.

* * *

><p>Mai sighed as the smell of chicken floated through the girls' cabin. She stood out on the patio, leaning against the wooden rails.<p>

"If you space out in a place like this, you'll become mosquito food," Masako's quite voice came from behind, startling Mai out of her thoughts.

"It's okay, I used repellent. You need some?" Mai watched as the girl placed a pig-shaped incense burner on the table behind them, probably to keep the bugs away.

"Mosquitoes prefer hot-blooded people," she said knowingly, coming to stand next to Mai at the railing.

Mai glared at her. "My bad for being too hot-blooded."

"I never said it was a bad thing," Masako defended, "You should be glad that mosquitoes love you."

"I'm not happy about that at all."

Masako giggled into her hand and Mai suddenly decided that she would miss the medium. They looked off into the foliage that surrounded their cabin in silence before Mai asked the one question that had been on her mind for the longest. "Masako, why do you think we won't meet again?"

The black haired girl became solemn, her mouth forming a straight line. "Just a feeling."

"Liar," Mai countered evenly.

"I can't say…"

"Is it related to you knowing Naru's weakness?"

"Not related at all."

Mai pouted, "Stingy."

The medium sighed, gripping the railing tighter. "I…I think you already know. But I can't say, I promised Lin-san and Naru I wouldn't."

The picture of dark-haired twins entered her mind's eye. "Why are you the only one that knows about this?!"

"I happened to know about it unexpectedly."

Mai squinted, searching her memory for something. "When we first met, you said something like, 'Have I met you before?'"

"Oh? Did I?"

"You definitely did!"

"It might've happened."

Mai pouted, put out by the lack of information she was getting out of the medium. "You're not going to give anything away, are you?"

Masako paused. "Naru has always been searching for this place. He had been using the office as a reason to search Japan for this location. That's why we wont be able to meet again…"

"Just me?" Mai questioned silently, wondering if Masako would still be in contact with Naru after everything had blown over.

"No…me as well."

* * *

><p>"They hired divers, right?"<p>

"No way, so there really is something…?"

The campers gossiped, Mai catching just a glimpse of the conversation as she walked with Bou-san. "Why did Naru hire divers?"

Bou-san looked at the ground in contemplation, not sure if he should tell her what he had managed to find out about the situation. He felt she had the right to know what was going, especially since he had been the one to rope her into staying. "It seems that Naru is searching for something in the lake."

"In the lake…?"

A cold sweat washed over Mai. _'What could be in there?'_

* * *

><p>So sorry this had to take so long! Anyway, I've updated two chapters for you so I hope you're not too angry with me! Anyway, if you've read the manga, I'm pretty sure you've realized by now that this chapter is very similar to the end of the manga. The Lake chapters will basically be me writing the last few chapters of Ghost Hunt (although I'll be changing some of the scenes and dialogue and will not be writing the actual case that they solve). Therefore, beyond this point will be spoiler central. If you don't want this to spoil Ghost Hunt for you and you have not read the manga, I highly suggest you read (or re-read) these chapters. Thanks!<p> 


	23. File 5: The Lake :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 5: The Lake

* * *

><p>'<em>Why do I keep getting this bad feeling?' <em>Mai frowned, watching along with a group of curious campers as two divers prepared for their job and settled their masks on their faces in the middle of the lake. _'What exactly is Naru looking for at the bottom of the lake?'_

"_What are they doing?"_

"_Who knows?"_

Bou-san, who had kept walking ahead of her, was now out of eyeshot. She might as well get going, too. Ayako would get upset with her if she was gone for too long.

More whispers of the campers reached her ears as Mai passed, _"Hey, I just heard something really unpleasant."_

"_What was it?"_

"_I heard it from the lady at the store. She said they were looking for a corpse."_

The words made Mai stop in her tracks.

"You're lying, right?"

"No way, that's disgusting!"

"I don't think we should swim in the lake anymore."

Mai's throat convulsed at the idea. With sweaty palms, she reached up to wring her hands in her shirt nervously. If Naru had called the divers and the divers were looking for a dead body…in other words, Naru was searching for a corpse?!

With a heavy heart, Mai turned around to take the trail back to her cabin, only to see Naru leaning against a shady tree watching the divers' progress.

Naru caught her eyes, but quickly looked back out at the lake.

She approached him slowly. "Naru, why did you call the divers? I heard…you were looking for a corpse?"

Naru sighed. "Rumors spreading already?"

Mai insisted, "Naru you're looking for a dead body, right?"

He looked straight at her, his expression guarded. "That's right."

Mai recalled several instances of walking into Naru's office only to see him pondering over maps of Japan. He had also taken several trips throughout their time together. She had assumed them to be for business, but the realization hit her like an oncoming bus. "Then all this time, all the maps you have on your desk, all of those trips you took…? Were they all for looking for this corpse?"

"Yeah."

The office existed for this sole purpose. That's why Naru never took a job unless he felt like it, because there was nothing to gain from them. But why would he open an office to look for a corpse? Why would he go that far?

"Would you mind telling me the situation?" she inquired timidly. The brunette remembered telling Luella she would wait to learn about Naru's past until he felt ready to tell her, but she needed to know. She just needed to.

"It's got nothing to do with you." Naru crossed his arms, looking away from her.

"That's true, but…!" desperation filled her voice as she remembered the picture of twins. It couldn't be… "How are you related to that person? Who is it?"

Naru looked away. "My older brother."

* * *

><p>"Corpse?!" The chorus of surprised voiced echoed throughout the room.<p>

"Naru's older brother?! In this lake?" Bou-san confirmed loudly.

Mai nodded slowly, her thoughtful gaze focused on her feet. "Yeah."

"He's already dead," Bou-san mumbled, losing himself in his thoughts.

Mai looked up, curious. What did Bou-san know that she didn't? "What?"

"No, its nothing really," the monk said, while glancing over to a solemn looking John and Yasuhara.

"Liar! What do you mean he's dead already?" When the three men avoided her eyes Mai stood up from the table, slamming her hands onto its wooden surface in frustration. "I've had enough! Why is everyone being so secretive?!"

Lin was suddenly at the door, watching the whole scene.

"Lin-san," Bou-san greeted.

"Have you seen Naru?" the onmyouji inquired, seeming almost a little hurried.

"I saw him by the lake," Mai said, wondering if Lin had any news for the black-haired teen.

"Is Naru's brother really here?" Bou-san asked, locking eyes with Naru's tall assistant.

Lin's eyes widened, apparently unaware that they had any information on the pressing subject. "Who told–?"

"Mai heard it from Naru," Bou-san answered easily, ready for Lin's response. If anyone knew, surely it was Lin. If he said yes, then it was definitely true.

"…It's true," the words were rough; full of emotion that no one even knew Lin was capable of expressing.

Mai became lost in her own world. The voices of Lin and Bou-san became muffled as she thought about the present situation. Naru hadn't told them anything. Suddenly Lin's word became in-focus again. "–didn't tell me anything except that he was murdered."

Mai covered her mouth to cover the gasp.

"Murdered?! Then who…?"

"We don't know."

"Naru didn't murder him himself, right?" Ayako said, examining her nails. "If not, how does he know that the body is here?"

"Ayako!" John voiced exasperatedly.

Lin looked at her and took her words in complete seriousness. "Impossible, since that's all that he knows."

"It was a joke," she protested.

Seconds later, Naru appeared at the front porch. "Lin, what are you doing here?"

"They are together with Madoka. They're doing fine," Lin said, answering the unspoken question that he knew Naru was asking. Mai didn't know how, but she knew he was talking about Luella and Martin.

"I see," Naru looked passed his assistant, his eyes meeting Mai's.

Bou-san moved, inadvertently blocking their view of the other. "Sorry for your loss. Did you find him?"

"Thank you." One of the only times Mai has heard Naru says thank you and its for the condolences of his brother's death. Could this day have gotten any worse? "It's going to be tough as the water clarity is low. There're a lot of sediments at the bottom of the lake."

"Its probably because this is a dam," Bou-san sighed, "but I hope you can find him quickly."

"I was prepared," Naru didn't miss a beat. "That's why, don't you think it's better if you leave first?"

"Sorry, but that's not only my decision," the monk said with a smile, looking back at the rest of the team.

* * *

><p><em>Mai opened her eyes to darkness. Confusion filled her head, but she let her eyes adjust. She hadn't even realized the orbs floating around her before. But something was off – she only had these types of dreams when they were investigating a case.<em>

_Something brushed softly against Mai's palm and the brunette turned around to see dream Naru's back against her own. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she quickly turned away. _'Why am I dreaming about Naru?!'

_Naru turned slightly and glanced at the younger girl. A small apologetic smile tugged at his lips._

_Troubled by Naru's expression, Mai looked at her feet timidly. "Hey, Naru? What happened? Did something else–"_

_The brunette's heart nearly stopped when her vision of Naru faded into black. "Wha–What?! What's going on? Naru!"_

* * *

><p>Muffled voices filled Mai's head. She groaned, attempting to block them out.<p>

"…Hey, isn't it better to wake her up now?" John voiced, concerned.

"It seems like she's suffering, making such an awful face." She could hear Yasuhara laughing.

"It's already past lunch time too." Masako snickered behind her hand.

"Okay, I'll do it." Bou-san took charge.

"What are you planning on doing?" Ayako inquired warily, probably fearing for Mai's safety.

Seconds later the brunette was suddenly rolling across the room as Bou-san yanked the futon out from under her sleeping form. She hit the wall with a pained grunt and wide eyes.

A cheery 'good morning' left Bou-san's mouth and he couldn't contain the smile on his face.

Mai flushed at the boys' presence in the room. "Go-Good morning…"

Mai entered the room with a tray of water. "How's the search going?" she inquired, hoping for some good news. The divers had been searching for the past three days and had almost no progress to show for it.

"It's still ongoing. Yesterday they had to stop because of the rain," Bou-san said in between sips of his water.

"Yeah…" Mai said, becoming lost in her thoughts as to why she had seen dream Naru while not on an investigation.

Ayako sighed. "Well anyways, I'm glad that everything ended up like this. That way, we can get you out of the paranormal world, Mai. You won't have to do anything scary anymore."

"Ah," Mai almost felt a tear escape but quickly hid it behind a laugh. "That'll be great. But I guess I'll have to look for another job…"

Ayako smiled gently, knowing how hard this was for the poor brunette. "I can hire you as my assistant. The pay won't be as good as working at SPR…"

"Well, we were special," Mai smiled sheepishly, "When the office closes, I'll have a lot of free time."

"What did you use to do before?" Bou-san inquired, leaning forwards.

"Nothing in particular. I just lived my life…" To be completely honest, Mai couldn't exactly remember how she spent her time before she came to work at SPR. It seemed like ages ago.

'_Is this really the end?'_

Bou-san waved a hand in front of her spaced-out gaze. "What's wrong? You suddenly got quiet all of the sudden."

Mai opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't quite come out. She stood and walked over to her bag looking for her address book. The brunette held it out to no one in particular. "Please, give me your addresses!"

Taken aback by her outburst, Bou-san leaned back. "Huh?"

"I don't want to separate from everyone like this! Even without the office and the work, I want to meet with everyone like this again! And even if we don't meet I want to call just to ask how you're doing."

The room was shocked into silence.

"So, if you don't mind, I would like to get everyone's addresses!"

"I don't mind," came Bou-san's immediate reply.

Mai looked up, only to realize she had been looking at her feet in the first place. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course!" he smiled, "I was wondering what you were going to ask with such a serious expression!"

"I know," Yasuhara laughed lightheartedly.

Ayako hid her smile behind an expression of indifference, but Mai could tell she was happy. "Tell us yours too, okay?"

Mai's smile reached ear to ear. "Yeah!"

And so they began to exchange information. "Where should I write it?"

"Right there is fine."

"I have a pen!"

"Eh? This is a pen?"

"It looks like an animal…?"

"No wonder girl's pencil cases are so full!"

Mai smiled, watching as the SPR team crowded around her address book, fighting over who would write theirs next. "You think Naru and Lin-san would tell me if I asked them?"

Bou-san shrugged. "Don't ask me."

"Speaking of which," Yasuhara motioned to the screen door through which they could see the said pair of men walking. He opened the door with a smile, "Shibuya-san! You busy? I would like to ask a couple of questions, are you free right now?"

Naru thought for a minute, "Right now?"

"It's better if its now," Yasuhara confirmed.

Naru sighed, crossing his arms. "I'll listen."

"Then, please come inside!" The college student motioned back to the cabin.

"We can't do it here?" The younger of the two raised an eyebrow in speculation.

Yasuhara gave a devilish smile. "The questions are very personal, and I would like to ask Lin-san as well, so please."

Mai watched in shock as Naru relented, climbing the stairs to the cabin's porch. "What is Yasuhara doing?" she inquired, clearly impressed by the shonnen detective's tactics.

Bou-san smirked in understanding, although he played dumb. "Who knows? Let's watch."

'_Who knows, my butt.'_

"So," Yasuhara couched into his hand to clear his throat, "What are you going to do after you close the office?"

Naru had seen these questions coming a mile away. "Does it have anything to do with you, Yasuhara-san?"

"Yeah it does. Jeez, aren't we friends?" The boy with glasses frowned.

Mai swallowed hard.

"If you are going to joke like always, you chose the wrong person. Did you call me in here to talk about such an insignificant matter?" Naru put on the hardest glare Mai had ever seen.

Yasuhara did not falter. "It isn't significant. We were just wondering what our beloved Shibuya-san and Lin-san will do from now on."

"You don't have to worry about it."

"Of course I'll worry about those I care about."

"Then you don't have to care about me."

"It's my own free will to like whoever I want!"

"It's also my own free will to do whatever I want, right?"

"You don't have to say it like that, Naru! Why can't you just be grateful and accept it?!" Mai almost slammed down her glass of water. "Why do you think everyone is here? Because we're worried about you! You're stupid for not accepting other people's goodwill!"

Although Naru lost his glare, he didn't look at her with kindness. She could see mixed emotions of frustration and…was that helplessness? "I never asked for it."

"Even if it's a one-sided good-will, you need to be respectful and treat other people better when they're kind to you! You might want to say farewell as soon as we're done with this, but at least be a little more sincere in the end!" Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she held them back, panting at the sudden loss of breath.

Naru looked away. "What in the world made you so mad?"

Mai flushed red with anger. "EVERYTHING!" Bou-san had to stand to hold her back. "The reasons why you're closing the office, I just don't like the fact that you're ending everything without a good reason!"

The monk sighed, patting her on the head, "Calm down a little. Naru has his own reasons."

Mai whipped around. "But!"

"You don't want it to end without an explanation, right? So if he explains are you going to accept it?" Bou-san raised an eyebrow down at the young girl and then re-directed his attention. "So are you going to explain, Naru?"

The dark-haired teen looked at his teary-eyed assistant before looking away. "I don't think it necessary."

Bou-san sighed. "You're so intolerant. Then – I want to ask some questions, will you answer them?"

Naru stood to leave, Lin following suit. "It's a waste of time."

Yasuhara and John blocked the door. "Sometimes its important to waste time," said the young scholar with a knowing smile.

Naru glanced at Lin. "I can get through by force."

"If I call the ambulance and say that Lin-san attacked us, the police will come. Then all the things that Shibuya-san's trying to hide might be revealed as well…" Yasuhara suggested evenly, not moving from his position in front of the door. "So how about it? Want to cooperate with us?"

Naru scowled. "Five minutes."

And so, the score was Yasuhara: 2, Naru: 0

Bou-san laughed, "Don't be stingy, I want thirty minutes."

"Fifteen," Naru countered.

Knowing he would never get the last word when it came to Naru, the monk smiled.

"Deal."

* * *

><p><em><strong>THIS STORY WILL NOT END AFTER THIS CASE!<strong> _So don't worry your pretty little heads! I still have plenty of stories that I have ideas for. I couldn't end this story that soon, could I? Besides I'm planning on having Mai and Naru get together by the end of the story, and that's going to need some time to progress, right?

Hope you guys liked this chapter! I think the next one will be the last one that re-caps the manga. If not, the chapter after that will probably go straight into the next case anyway.


	24. File 5: The Lake :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 5: The Lake

* * *

><p>"The first thing I want to ask…is about your name," Bou-san said, his face and the tone of his voice, for once, of incredibly serious disposition.<p>

Naru looked at the brunette monk with tired eyes.

"Name?" Mai inquired. What about his name? It seemed perfectly normal to her.

Yasuhara tuned to her. "Don't you think its weird that…the name of the director of an office at Shibuya is named 'Shibuya'?"

Ayako and Mai shared identical looks of confusion. "So it's not a coincidence?" the redheaded priestess inquired.

Bou-san raised three fingers. "There are three possibilities. One: mere coincidence, two: he mad the office in Shibuya on purpose, three: it's an alias."

"Alias?!" Mai and Ayako exclaimed simultaneously.

"The most probable reason is a coincidence, there's another thing that bothers me…"

'_Something else?'_ Mai was shocked. What more could there be? "Wh-What is it?"

"Do you remember what Naru said to you when we first met you?"

Something vague…a strange memory danced around Mai's mind and she called it to memory.

"_Mai's sempai…"_

"_Ah! You called me without honorifics!"_

"_You did as well."_

She nodded at Bou-san. "Yeah, I remember, but…"_ '…what does that have to do with anything?'_

"It was a weird sentence, so I remembered it," the monk explained, "Mai called him by his nickname 'Naru the narcissist,' but it didn't mean you called him without honorifics, right?"

Mai's eyes widened.

"And why would Lin call him that too? Isn't that a little weird? Because if 'Naru' is a nickname that comes from narcissist, then Lin is definitely the only one who would not call him 'Naru,' right?"

"Now that you mention it…" Mai looked from Naru to Lin nervously.

"You might actually be right…" Ayako suggested under her breath.

"Just laying out a theory," Bou-san said, "Maybe 'Shibuya Kazuya' is the alias and 'Naru' is your real name?"

Naru sat in silence, glancing over at Mai when she began to speak. "Your real name is…Naru…?"

Masako looked down into her lap and the dark haired narcissist looked back at the monk with a trained smirk on his face. "Don't imagine _too_ much."

"The fun hasn't even started yet," Bou-san laughed, going on with his speech. "If your real name is 'Naru,' then it wouldn't be weird if Lin were to call you that. Also, I've never seen any proof that Shibuya Kazuya is your real name."

"In Naru's defense," Mai said sheepishly, "That's the same for us too, right?"

"Naru's situation is somewhat different. Remember when he had to be hospitalized during the case where we met Yasuhara? There was no nametag on his door. However, after the Yoshimi case when Naru was hospitalized, it had the name Kazuya Shibuya on the door."

Mai sighed, not quite understanding where this was going. Ayako, however seemed very focused on what the monk was saying.

"He refused our visits the first time, but the second time he didn't mind if we visited at all."

Mai hummed under her breath, the pieces connecting. "So in other words, the first time he was hospitalized he forgot and used his real name…and put a blank tag on the door?"

Bou-san's head bobbed up and down in agreement. "Probably."

Ayako looked at the monk with narrowed eyes. "That means that the doctors and nurses knew his real name so he didn't want us to go visit him, or else we might hear them call him by his real name. Therefore his second time, he purposely said he didn't have healthcare so he could use his alias?"

Bou-san glanced at Naru with a sly grin, looking as if he had just won the jackpot. "Those are just assumption."

Naru simply smirked back. "I don't feel the need to answer these questions."

"I see," the brunette sighed, "So let's move on then."

Mai nearly fell over. "There's something else?"

"Don't you think his life style is a little strange Mai? Do you know why he never gives out his address or phone number?" Bou-san smiled at the young girl as she wracked her brain.

"He's never answered me, no matter how many times I've asked…" she admitted, looking away with red cheeks.

Ayako elbowed her, "How many times…?!"

Mai laughed sheepishly, but kept her mouth shut.

"He obviously wanted to hide where he lives. But why? My theory is that, if people find out where he lives they'll find out what he really wants to hide: his real identity."

This was starting to make sense now. Everything was clicking into place. Mai wondered why she had never thought that something was off until their trip to London.

"Am I wrong?" Bou-san's eyes never left Naru's.

The teenager's grimace was being masked by a smirk. "Aren't you pushing it too much?"

"People can find out where you live by area code, too, right?" Mai suddenly pitched, her eyes meeting Naru's evenly. She had enough of all these secrets.

Ayako nodded, "People can look it up in the directory, right?"

"If that's it, all he has to do is not put his number in the directory. But what if Naru doesn't _have_ a real phone number? What if he only has a disposable phone?"

Ayako scoffed, "Why wouldn't he just get a personal line? Naru has his own income, so it wouldn't be that hard."

Mai shrugged. "Maybe his family or landlord doesn't allow it?"

"It unlikely that his family wouldn't allow it. After all, he's the head of an office with his parent's permission – since he's underage. I'm sure they'd be okay with him having a phone line," Bou-san said.

"True," Mai trailed off, thinking.

"The place he's living must have him under contract. Meaning he's living somewhere where he isn't allowed to get a person line," the monk hinted.

"A place like that even exists?" Mai said in disbelief. She couldn't manage to think of any.

Bou-san smiled, impressed by his own deductive reasoning. By the look on Naru's face, he was probably spot-on with every single theory he had suggested. "He's staying in a hotel, Mai."

It made sense, of course. Living in a hotel meant it would be bad to give out his address. If someone called him, the front desk would answer. "But why would he stay in a hotel when he can get to the office from his house…unless…!" Mai frowned. There was no way…

"Exactly," Bou-san smirked, "Naru isn't from Tokyo. He said he was looking for his brother, so he got a hotel. He probably didn't think it would take this long, so he never looked for a proper place to live, correct?"

Naru was not smiling anymore.

Ayako frowned. "If Naru was looking for his brother _all over_ Japan, why wouldn't he just stay home? Its cheaper and easier."

"What if his house was further away?" Bou-san suggested.

The miko laughed, "I mean, its not like he's from another country or anything." Until it hit her. Ayako gasped.

Mai was suddenly positive that everything Bou-san had said was right. She knew exactly where he lived, too: England.

Bou-san nodded. "It makes sense. The fact that he doesn't know many expressions and proverbs. He doesn't know a lot of Kanji either. So he might look like it and speak the language, but Naru might not be Japanese. Isn't Lin-san the perfect example?"

Mai swallowed as she watched Bou-san become the victim of one of Lin's infamous glares.

"I thought at first that he might be Chinese like Lin-san, but I don't think that 'Naru' is a Chinese name. So we have to ask, where were you born, Naru?" Bou-san crossed his arms, not even slightly deterred by the onmyouji's vicious eyes.

Naru was smirking again, making it very likely that he 'didn't feel the need to answer'.

Bou-san sighed in what sounded like defeat, but he kept going. "I'll move on, then."

"There's more?!" Mai exclaimed, exasperated. She nearly fell backwards in exhaustion from all of the monk's theories and explanations. No matter how much she wanted to hear all of this, it was so…draining.

"About the equipment. How much would you say all of it is worth? Probably a few millions. And the office – is it really yours, Naru? It's strange that the owner would rent a room to someone underage. Also, Mai has told us that you only let her sort through the mail after Lin-san has already gone through it. Why would they need to hide mail addressed to the office?" Bou-san inquired.

"Maybe his real name is on them?" Mai suggested.

"But they're addressed to the office, so all of them should day 'Shibuya Psychic Research'."

"So then there's no reason to hide them," Ayako said, beginning to sound as tired of Bou-san assumptions as Mai.

The grin on Bou-san's face could've been worth a million yen. He was really good at this. "That's when I started to think…what if 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is also a fake name?"

"Then the mail wouldn't arrive, right?" Mai deadpanned.

"That might be true, but we go by two names technically. 'Shibuya Psychic Research' and 'SPR.' One of them must be the real name, right? It wouldn't be weird for Shibuya Psychic Research to have a 'SPR' sign out front. But what if 'SPR' really stands for something else?"

"Society for Phychical Research," Mai suddenly said, recalling the words from some of the papers on Martin's desk back in England. It hadn't even registered in her brain until now.

Bou-san nodded, slightly surprised that Mai had known what he was talking about. "It's an old paranormal activity investigative organization in England. 'Shibuya Psychic Research' is just a fake name to hide the fact that the office is actually a Japanese branch of 'SPR'."

Naru crossed his arms with a sigh.

"If Naru is, in fact, a member of SPR's Japanese branch, then everything makes sense. This also explains why he uses an alias," Bou-san pointed out with a smile, eyeing the dark-haired teenager avoiding his gaze.

"What?! How?" Mai nearly jumped on the man.

The monk laughed at her excitement over something that he had clearly known about for a long time. "Here's a hint: Tom is a male name, but it's a nickname. What's the actual name?"

The teenage girl moaned in despair. "Why is it an English pop quiz?"

"Oh, come on its not that hard," Bou-san rolled his eyes.

"Um…Thomas?" she said slowly.

"Correct! How about Naru, then?"

Mai frowned. She definitely wouldn't get it.

"If Naru is from England, he's an Englishman. If so, even siblings don't use honorifics. So what do people who care about him do when they want to show affection?"

"…Use nicknames?" Mai suggested. John nodded from across the room with a smile when she looked to him for approval.

Bou-san leaned back against the wall behind him. "Exactly. He was called by his nickname that only people who are close to him would use. That's why, when you first called him Naru, he said 'You called me without honorifics.'"

Mai frowned, still unable to think of the name. "So then Naru is the nickname for…?"

"Tell her John."

"If it's Naru, or Noll, then the name is Oliver…" The priest looked down at his lap, the words coming out with a bit of effort.

"Oliver…" Mai repeated, the name sounded eerily familiar.

"SPR'S Oliver-san. Isn't there someone fairly important in SPR named Oliver?" Bou-san hinted.

That's when Mai's eyes widened.

Oliver Davis; the son of Martin and Luella Davis, as well as the owners of 'SPR,' and Naru's 'sponsors'. It explained everything. As if time had stopped and it was only the two of them in the room, Mai met her former employer's oceanic eyes with her own. "Is it true…?"

Naru hesitated before looking away, "I don't feel the need to answer."

"Are the fifteen minutes over?" Suddenly the spell was broken and Naru was already walking past John and Yasuhara out of the room.

"Dammit," Bou-san cursed, wanting to hear the truth from the younger man's lips themselves.

There was a pregnant silence until the most unexpected of people spoke up. "Naru said there was no need to answer you…" The team turned around to face Lin, who had a smile on his face (surprisingly enough). "probably because he feels that there's no need to answer if you already know this much."

"So Naru really is…" Mai looked down at her lap. The picture of twins on Martin's desk was really of Naru and his brother.

The reaction Martin and Luella must've had when Lin called to tell them they had found his body…

Bou-san stretched, hiding a yawn behind his hand. "Oliver Davis is a parapsychologist, and one of the youngest, brightest members of SPR. He rarely appears in public, so his profile is unknown. It's only known that he was very strong PK and that he has a sibling named Eugene Davis who has strong spiritual powers as well."

Mai nodded, hearing what he was saying but not exactly listening. Apparently Bou-san had done his research on the subject.

"However Eugene disappeared in Tokyo. It makes sense that Naru would hide his identity in order to hide this from he media. It also makes sense as to why Naru knew what this place looks like. He used his powers."

"So you mean like when he used Masako's hair ornament to find her that one time? Was that also psychometry?" Mai inquired, remembering how jealous she got. "Speaking of which, why did you know about Naru?"

The medium looked down, as if recalling the memory. "I had seen a video about America's 'espers'."

"The famous one?!" Bou-san exclaimed, unexpectedly excited.

"The one where he slammed 50 kgs of aluminum against the wall?" Mai chimed in again, remembering Bou-san mention it before on the Urado case.

"That video is very important so if you aren't part of a big psychic research company, you can't have access to it."

"It was quite impressive, so I still remember it," Masako nodded, a smile nearly breaking out at Mai's bewildered expression. "When I first met Naru, I knew I had seen him before."

"That's why you asked if you had seen him before," Mai said, glaring at the medium after a moment of thoughtful silence. "You used it to threaten him, didn't you?"

Masako hid her innocent smile behind her kimono sleeve. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I feel so relieved. Now he can go back to England and do whatever," Ayako sighed, before turning her attention to the man who had just 'cracked the code'. "You're a smart, sinful monk."

Bou-san scowled at his girlfriend. "My head, unlike yours, isn't empty."

Before the priestess could manage to get in a comeback, Yasuhara had spoken. "Takigawa-san only _seems_ like he isn't paying attention to things, when he's actually paying attention to the little details. When he first told me, I thought he was insane!"

Mai glared at Yasuhara and John, who she now knew were in on the whole thing. "So _that's_ what you three were talking about in the corner all by yourselves."

John, at least, had the decency to look ashamed and scratch the back of his head sheepishly. Yasuhara just grinned, unabashed. "Yeah."

"Was there any flaw in our explanation, Lin-san?" Bou-san inquired with a smile that reached ear-to-ear.

Lin couldn't help but smile back. "Not that I can think of."

"Why the office, then?"

Lin's face suddenly straightened into a thin line. "There wasn't a lot of information on Gene. We knew it would take time to find him, so we couldn't very well come every now and then from England and hide ourselves as well. So we needed a temporary address. But a person can't cut all ties with society, so we decided to at least get an office with the excuse that we were a normal paranormal investigative team."

This might've been the most Mai ever heard from Lin's mouth in one sitting.

"So Naru's the head of the office?" Bou-san asked

"Yes, he is the president," Lin confirmed.

"What about school? Naru's my age so he should be a high school student, right?" Mai frowned at the thought of him calling her stupid for all of the times she skipped school to go on cases.

Lin smiled, following Mai's train of thought. "Naru's a college student. He's taking some time off right now."

"A college student? At seventeen?!" Mai fell to the ground_. 'I knew he was smart, but a college student?'_

Naru rolled his eyes at the young brunette's dramatic antics. "I have some more questions actually."

Lin nodded, being much more cooperative than Naru. "I'll answer them if I can."

"Naru is a British citizen, right?"

"Yes."

"But isn't 'Naru' the American pronunciation?" the monk speculated. John nodded in response.

"Naru lived in the U.S. until he was eight years old," the tall onmyouji confirmed.

"So Martin and Luella are half Japanese?" Mai asked in confusion. Neither of them looked like they had any sort of oriental in them.

"Professor Davis and his wife are fully British. Naru and Eugene are adopted," Lin nodded, "They are both orphans who were adopted by the Davis'."

So Gene was the only one who called Naru by his nickname.

"Then Naru will return to England when his brother's body is found. That's why he's closing the office." He has a family back in England and a life prior to coming to Japan. As much as Mai hated him leaving, she understood. She finally understood. "I think I can accept it."

'I will never see him again.'

"AH!" Yasuhara yelled, scaring nearly the entire room half to death. Lin seemed unaffected by the noise, however. "I just realized something."

"What?" Bou-san sighed, putting a hand on his chest to slow his alarming heart rate.

"Takigawa-san admired Oliver Davis, right? So that means you're a HUGE fan of Shibuya-san's," the boy with glasses exclaimed, as if his excitement got the better of him.

"Oh yeah! Even Naru knows you're his fan since you praised him right to his face!" Mai laughed.

"Isn't it nice that you were able to talk a lot?" His red-headed girlfriend teased.

Yasuhara then asked, in all seriousness, "Aren't you going to get his autograph?"

"Stop it! I'm trying not to think about it," the heat rushed to Bou-san's face as he tried to hear himself think over their jokes, "Ah! Yeah, by the way, Lin! The video of the experiment; when you recorded it, didn't Naru collapse? He did throw something that was 50 kgs after all."

"He didn't use to collapse; also Eugene amplified his power," Lin explained. Seeing the confused expression on the monk's face, he continued, "I don't understand it much either, but when Naru would do his experiments, he would send energy to Gene, who amplified it and sent it back. That's how it worked. The more the energy bounced back and forth, the stronger it got, so Naru never collapsed."

The team sat it confused silence, trying to make sense of it. Lin went on. "I don't really understand it myself. They didn't do many experiments Naru got exhausted more easily. He didn't have much of an interest in psychic experiments anyway."

The Chinese man went to say something but hesitated. "…Can I request something?"

"Yeah, sure." Bou-san agreed.

"Please keep all of this secret."

Bou-san nodded. "Understood."

Lin smiled sadly. "A psychometric psychic has the least freedom. The media will eventually get tired of it, but some people won't. How many letters do you think Naru received every day before coming to Japan?"

"Letters?" Mai inquired curiously. "Like, fan letters?"

"Between twenty and fifty letters all asking for help. To look for missing relatives," Lin said solemnly.

So definitely _not _fan letters.

"It's not a problem if the missing person is alive, but they are usually dead. However, everyone who asks is hoping that those missing people are alive, so when he tells them that their loved one is dead, he's hated, not thanked. He can also feel the death with his own body."

Mai shivered in response to Lin's statement, remembering her own similar experience.

"That's like that time when Mai was dreaming during the Urado case!"

Lin nodded. "I extreme cases, he gets injured. It's just a spit second of implied effect."

Mai was taken a back. "That can happen?!"

"Yes. Depending on the medium, he or she can get injured at the same place as the dead person of feel strong numbness. That is why Naru only uses psychometry in extreme cases and only accepts certain requests."

"No wonder he's been running from the media," Bou-san concluded.

"Yeah. I was wondering why he refused big cases, but now I understand…" Mai lowered her head in shame. _'Naru knows what it feels like…I've said some pretty horrible things to him…'_

"Also," Lin directed his next statement at Mai, but stopped himself before he went too far. "No, never mind. I'm counting on you."

* * *

><p>Sorry that most of this was dialogue. I'm sure you guys were getting annoyed, but I tried to get as much in as possible without making it too bad. Unfortunately there's a lot more that I need to put in, so it might be that the whole next chapter will be a recap of the manga as well. I'll see what I can do for you guys!<p> 


	25. File 5: The Lake :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 5: The Lake

* * *

><p>Mai watched the ground as she wandered aimlessly around the forest, her eyes focusing off and on as she became lost in her thoughts; thoughts mainly about Naru. She burst into laughter finally, "Well, I'm glad the mystery was finally solved!"<p>

Who was she kidding? In all honesty, Mai was probably lying when she said she was finally able to accept the fact that Naru was about to vanish out of her life forever.

Her chest hurt.

Whether it was the fact that Naru had such an unfortunate life, being haunted by psychic abilities that gave him little freedom, or the fact of Gene's untimely death, Mai couldn't truly be happy with the outcome. Why did things have to be this way?

Mai lifted her head to see Naru leaning against a far off tree. He noticed her, his eyes boring into her own with a loneliness that was so heavy Mai could barely bring herself to walk over. Eventually, she found her own sandaled feet a good meter away from his black-clad shoes.

"I thought you had gone to the lake. What are you doing here?" she inquired.

Naru shrugged, a motion Mai barely caught. She smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry I called you 'Naru-chan' before."

"…Why?"

It was the first word Mai had heard from him since his uncooperative responses earlier that evening during their…interrogation, you could say. "Isn't it only your older brother who calls you that? I didn't know…"

"That's a story from when we were little," Naru nodded as Mai leaned back on the opposite side of the tree.

"To think that you were someone so important," Mai said softly, laughing sheepishly. "I guess I kind of felt the distance between us…I mean, no wonder you call me stupid. Compared to you I must look like a real idiot. And now you'll return to England and the lifestyle that you had before you met us…"

'_That's probably why I'm upset,'_ she thought, looking down at her feet.

"I mean, I can't image how you used to live. After all, we live in completely different worlds," she claimed nervously.

"That's not true," Naru said, his smile almost evident in his tone. "I'm just an idiot scientist."

Mai frowned. Certainly that was not something a narcissist would say? "Why would you call yourself like that…?" As she turned to face her employer, a familiar feeling of déjà vu hit. She'd seen this in a dream before…this morning's dream, in fact.

She turned away quickly, her face burning. "So you were also an orphan, Naru?"

Naru sighed, "My situation was…much different from yours; I had a brother, and I met my grandparents."

"What kind of person was he? Your brother, I mean."

"Who knows…"

"Anyway, I'm glad we met here!" Mai smiled sadly, knowing that she was in her last moments of spending time with Naru.

"I was looking for you," he said, his tone very casual and un-Naru-like. "I wanted to say a couple of things to you, so I was hoping I would meet you. I thought maybe I wouldn't see you anymore, but…"

Mai blushed at his words, looking at her feet shyly. "But…?"

She could hear Naru sigh. "Nevermind."

She nearly fell over, and turned to look disapprovingly at her employer. "H-Hey, that's not nice–"

Mai's eyes widened as she realized that the spot where Naru had been standing was now empty and that he was nowhere in the clearing.

"What the–?"

This was just like in her dream!

Footsteps came up from behind Mai as she stood, still trying to figure out exactly what happened to her employer. She wasn't sure whether or not she was shocked to see Naru walking towards her when she turned around.

How on earth had he done that…?

Confused, she looked around the other side of the tree that they had been leaning against seconds before. At first, Mai thought it might've been one of Naru's 'magic tricks,' but she quickly ruled that out. They had learned from one of their previous cases that it was, in fact, Naru using qigong, which was very stressful on his body without Gene there to absorb his powers (or whatever Lin had tried to explain to them). Besides, she wasn't sure teleportation was possible even _with_ the use of qigong.

"What's wrong?" Naru frowned, seeing her bewildered expression.

The brunette looked at him warily. "You're really Naru…right?"

"What are you talking about?" Naru's scowl deepened at her words. "Are you even awake?"

"I'm not really sure anymore," she confirmed nervously, turning around to the tree again. "If that wasn't you, then who was the person I was just talking to?"

Naru was probably getting very frustrated at this point. "Who was here?"

"Naru, I was _just_ talking to you," she said insistently, finger pointed down at the exact spot where Naru's look-alike had been standing.

He sighed, waving away her concern on the matter. "You were sleeping."

She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. "No, I wasn't! I mean, it was _like _my usual dream, but I know I wasn't dreaming!"

"The usual dream?" Naru voiced his interest, "What usual dream?"

Mai covered her mouth. _'That wasn't supposed to come out!'_

"J-Just a dream!" she defended, hoping he would drop the subject.

Not likely.

"What kind of dream?" he inquired, taking a step closer, his eyes boring into her own.

"It's none of your business."

He took another intimidating step. "Didn't sound that way." And another. "Was I in it?"

Mai hit the tree as she tried to back up, her heart jumped into her throat. Why was he being so persistent all of the sudden? "I'm telling you it's none of your business!"

"I don't think so," he said, increasingly closer.

She shook her head adamantly. "You don't have to know!"

"You don't have to hide it," he teased.

"I'm not!" Mai exclaimed, her voice straining. Naru stopped in his tracks, slightly taken a back by her outburst. He said nothing and they listened to her voice echo in the forest.

Mai looked up to see a hint of disappointment on his face.

Mentally groaning at how attractive he looked, Mai sighed and decided that she would just say it. Hell, maybe this was her chance?

"It's a dream with you!" The brunette hadn't meant to say it so loudly, but the fear that he might start laughing or call her stupid had gotten to her at the last minute and her voice had become harsh and defensive.

Naru looked at her, his face as impassive as ever. "With me?" he inquired, as if he had truly not expected it.

"Yeah," she said, put off by his reaction, "but the Naru in my dreams is really nice and he smiles, so I though it might just be wishful thinking or something."

"He's nice?" Naru crossed his arms. His eyes widened seconds later, "You were just talking to him a minute ago?"

"Yeah, so?" Mai crossed her arms with the thought that he was just teasing her for dreaming about him.

"What about?"

"He said he was looking for me – that he needed to tell me something," Mai blushed, "I should've known that you would never look for me without a good reason…"

"What do you mean?" Naru questioned, eyebrow raised.

The red in Mai's cheeks grew more vibrant as she stumbled over her words, "What do I mean? A-Are you stupid? I don't know!

He frowned. "I don't understand."

To Naru's surprise, Mai was suddenly scowling at him. "I knew you were a stupid jerk who had no feelings, but is that really your answer after making me say all of that embarrassing stuff?! After a couple of those dreams I thought that maybe you were like a normal human being and that maybe your spirit had popped out to come see me and that the actual you is nice and smiles and even cares about me! That's what I thought!"

Naru lowered his head in thought. "…I can't leave my body. I don't have that gift."

"I know," Mai said, embarrassed, "That's why I'm saying–"

"No."

Mai paused, wondering what Naru was thinking in his complex brain. Was he secretly laughing at her? Did he think she had some sort of mental disability? Why was he being so quiet?

"Since when did you start having these dreams?" The narcissist inquired.

Mai, who suddenly felt like she was at the doctor's getting a check-up, looked at him in confusion. "Since the beginning."

"It's not me," Naru said, his eyes narrowing.

"What?"

"That's not me," he put a hand to his head, as if feeling sick. "That was Gene. Eugene…"

Mai's heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach. They were twins after all; completely identical when expressionless. But that didn't explain how she had seen a physical apparition of him. "But he's de–"

She stopped herself, knowing exactly what that meant.

"That means Gene is still wandering around this world," Naru said, looking towards the direction of the lake. "He probably has leftover business."

"He told me…that we might not meet again," Mai said, her eyes downcast with grief.

Naru nodded. "Yeah. If we find his body…"

The brunette was at least able to connect the rest of his sentence.

"What the HELL is that idiot doing?" Naru exclaimed, causing Mai to nearly jump out of her own skin, his voice raising to a point that Mai had never heard before. "Getting lost on his way…"

Under other circumstances, Mai might've laughed. Naru even called his brother an idiot. Maybe she shouldn't feel to bad about herself then? She said sheepishly, "He was probably just worried about you, Naru!"

"I'm not so desperate that I need him worrying about me," he replied without mercy. "That idiot was probably acting as you're spiritual guide. He must've noticed that you had potential when it came to spiritual powers, so he stayed around to bring them out."

Mai blinked. That actually made sense to her.

"Geez, he should hurry up and cross over," Naru sighed. It was a certain sigh that she recognized. He would always use it when Mai got herself into trouble or said something stupid.

"He really _was_ worried about you. He was probably trying to be useful and gave me clues to help you," she reasoned, with a wide smile.

"It's none of his business," Naru concluded in response.

Mai's smile dropped. "It's called kindness," she deadpanned.

"Or stupidity."

The brunette laughed. Gene must've had a heart as big as the ocean to have dealt with Naru for all the years of his life. "I heard from Lin-san that you two were also orphans."

Naru's eyes softened. "Just like Mai."

"Yeah," she smiled. Then the realization hit. "Wait, is that why you let me work for you?"

Naru was silent for a moment before he could think of the words he wanted to use, "How do you say it? Pity? Self-identification?"

"Pity for someone in the same situation, you mean?" she said, surprised that they could talk about this subject so lightheartedly.

"I also thought you might be living in bad conditions."

Mai thought back to her apartment where she lived. It was slightly ratty, a lot of bugs, but its not like she was living in horrible conditions. She smiled at the thought of Naru being concerned over her. "Did you live in bad conditions?"

"Yeah. I was also a troubled kid," he admitted.

Mai nodded, imagining a mini Naru giving an attitude. "You helped me a lot. Thank you," she said quietly.

"Don't thank me. We just had spare money," Naru said nonchalantly, looking away. "We needed more people anyway."

"Why did your brother come to Japan, anyway?" Mai wondered.

"There was a request for an exorcism. He also wanted to investigate Japan's Shinto-style exorcisms," Naru said, his tone exhausted. He walked closer until he could lean against the tree next to Mai.

"So he experiments too? Did he ghost hunt?" Mai asked, shocked.

"He did," Naru confirmed.

She wondered if Martin and Luella tagged along too? The thought made her laugh. "What was Gene like?"

Naru thought for a moment. "He was kind of like you, always sympathizing with clients – crying with them and laughing with them. Except he was a lot quieter."

Mai glared at him. "Sorry I'm loud," she said, shifting her weight. "How did you know he was here? Psychometry?"

"Yeah."

"So you _know_?" Mai inquired, her voice quiet. That meant that Naru had actually felt Gene's death. It also meant that Mai had been horribly wrong when she had yelled at Naru for not understanding what it felt like to die during the Urado case.

"Yeah. He was probably halfway through his trip, when I borrowed his clothes and saw it," the teenager's eye darkened as he described the event, "First I saw an intersection. It was late at night and all of the stores were closed. There was a 'no walking' traffic signal across the street, but there were no cars. I stepped out onto the street when a red sports car swerved out of nowhere and hit me. The woman got out of the car. I could only see from her knees down. She screamed and got back into her car before running over me again."

"She purposely ran over him again to kill him?!" Mai looked at Naru through tear-filled eyes.

Without response to her question, Naru went on. "Everything turned green, which usually happens when someone dies. He was dragged on the ground and put into the trunk, wrapped in a yellow blanket, and thrown off of a boat into a lake."

"Oh my god," Mai covered her mouth, knowing that it was open wide from the shock of what Naru was saying.

"He was stupid for getting in the accident to begin with."

"I can't believe you're saying something like that!" Mai exclaimed, nearly slapping Naru on the arm before she managed to calm herself, "Has the woman been arrested yet?"

"No."

Mai shuffled her feet, arms behind her back as she thought on the subject. "I feel like if we got this on the news, they would be able to catch her. The only bad thing is that the media will find out your identity and that would be a problem…but still–"

The blue-eyed boy sighed, crossing his arms, which he had unknowingly un-crossed at some point in time. "That's not the problem."

"Eh? It's not?"

"The problem isn't my identity. The problem is, what if they put my picture out?"

Mai frowned. "I know the girls will make a fuss, but –

Naru could've rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid. What do you think Gene's killer will do when she sees a person with the same face as the one she killed?

Mai glanced over at him worriedly.

"Until we find out what type of person our killer is, it's best to avoid any attention."

Mai's frown deepened. "I hope she's found soon…"

Seeing Naru's conflicted features, Mai smiled sheepishly, pushing herself off of the tree that they were sharing. "Well, I'll go back to the cabin now. I don't want to get in your way or anything."

The boy, who prided himself in his intelligence, looked up in confusion. "Get in the way? How?"

"Well," Mai shrugged, a blush rising on her cheeks, "maybe you need to do something that you can't do while I'm around."

Naru looked at her pointedly.

"You know, maybe you need to cry or something…?"

He looked away. "It isn't something to cry about."

"What? Aren't you sad?" She asked in surprise, leaning forward.

Naru smirked. "I'm just a stupid jerk who has no feelings." Mai blushed, hearing him quote her earlier words.

The brunette sighed. "You aren't being honest with your self."

"Everyone dies," Naru explained, looking in the direction of the lake. "In 100 years no one we know will be alive."

Mai scowled, rolling her eyes. "That's not the point.

"Yes, it is."

Mai paused momentarily, unsure of how to continue on with the conversation. Lucky for her, Naru spoke up.

"You'll probably see him again."

Mai looked up, surprised by his words. "Huh?"

"Gene."

She smiled and laughed. "You mean after 100 years?"

"In your case, probably 200," her employer almost smiled.

"I'll live forever because I'm stupid."

"Probably."

"I wish you would deny that."

"It's better not to lie."

Mai laughed, leaning back on the tree again. She hadn't laughed that hard in a long time.

"Naru!" Lin came into the clearing panting heavily. Leaning forward with his hands on his knees, the onmyouji took a moment to recuperate. Mai had never seen the tall Chinese man so disgruntled before in her life.

Sensing the urgency in his assistant's voice, Naru uncrossed his arms, pushing himself off of the tree. "Lin, what happened?"

"They found it."

* * *

><p>"<em>Oh my god, what happened?"<em>

"_A body? Seriously?"_

"_I thought they were just filming a drama?"_

"_No, it's really happening!"_

Naru pushed through the crowd followed by Mai and Lin. Mai blanched, stopping in her tracks as a bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket came into her view. Naru stopped along with her, halting Lin as well.

'_A yellow blanket, just like Naru said.'_

Taking a deep breath, Naru continued to walk on, weaving throughout the crowd to the spot where the soaked bundle lay. The divers pleaded for him to stay back, but Naru simply ignored them, lifting the edge of the blanket.

The two divers blanched, covering their mouths in disgust at the sight before them.

With a dark look in his eyes, Naru folded the blanket back how it was originally, hiding his brother's face. He stood for a moment, staring at what once was his closest friend, his confidant, his flesh and blood, his twin, before leaving the scene.

* * *

><p>"Good morning," Mai mumbled weakly as she stumbled out of bed the next morning.<p>

Ayako, who was in the kitchen fixing breakfast, turned around to greet the teen. "Ah, you're awa – Oh my god! What's with that face?!"

Mai couldn't blame her. Her eyes so swollen and puffy, she could barely open them. She had cried so much last night, she was sure she had given a new meaning to the phrase 'cry me a river'. "I can't see very well," she informed with a laugh, wobbling across the room in a pathetic attempt to locate the bathroom.

"You were up late, weren't you?" Ayako sighed, throwing the brunette a sympathetic glance.

"Yeah, pretty much…"

She had decided last night to tell Ayako and Masako everything, even about her dreams with Gene. She even thought, much to her disappointment, that she might've seen him in last night's dream. But now that his body had been found and he was able to return home, there was no reason for him to still wander.

That afternoon, Martin and Luella arrived at the campgrounds. After seeing the body, Luella cried a lot. Unfortunately, Mai couldn't seem to find the right words to comfort the woman whom, although she'd only known for little more than a week, had become rather close to.

After dinner in the girls' cabin (which no one really had the appetite for), Luella came to talk to Mai, who was sitting out on the veranda.

"How are you doing, Mai?"

The teenager smiled solemnly at her words. Even after seeing her son's dead body, she was still concerned about other people. "It's so unfair. You never should've had to see that." She wiped away at a stray tear.

Luella looked down at her hands, which had come to grip the railing, knowing that Mai was referencing to Gene's body. "A mother should never have to attend her child's funeral. But life is unfair and the world is full of injustice."

At the woman's word, even more tears escaped. "I'm so sorry."

Luella then smiled, rubbing the teenager's shoulder. "Don't be sorry. Things happen for a reason. Some good has even come from Gene's death."

"What good could've possibly–?" Mai said through her soft sobs, whipping around to face the woman, only to realize that she was staring at her pointedly.

"It brought Noll to Japan. Here, he met a wonderful group of friends that he knows he can rely on," she said, and Mai could feel her love for her son in her voice. "That's what I meant when I asked you to stay by his side. Because, whether he is willing to admit it or not, Naru thinks of you as a valuable friend. Possibly even more."

Mai could feel a familiar heat rising in her cheeks. "W-What?!" she stuttered, unsure if she had heard Naru's mother correctly.

Luella laughed. "My son isn't completely heartless."

Mai made a face. "Could've fooled me."

Smiling, the woman took Mai's hands in her own, slipping a small picture frame in them. Mai looked down in surprise to see the very picture she had seen in Marin's study.

The next day Gene's body was confirmed by the morgue and returned to England.

* * *

><p>"Okay, so I closed and locked all of the windows," Mai said, counting off on her fingers. She glanced around the room once more to make sure everything was ready for them to leave. "Looks like everything's packed up…"<p>

"Are we ready to go?" Ayako inquired, falling back onto the couch next to Bou-san.

"Naru and Lin aren't ready yet," the brunette said with a yawn.

Bou-san gave the office a good sweep with his eyes. "Wow. I can't believe we're saying good bye to this place."

Mai smiled, "It'll only be for a while."

That's right – a few days after returning to Tokyo, Naru called Mai up to tell her that he had managed to renew the contract on the office and that they would be keeping the Japanese branch of 'SPR'. Fortunately, Naru would be the head.

After Gene's burial and some time in England, Naru would be coming back to run the office, just like old times. And Mai couldn't be happier.

"How long will it be until they can come back?" John asked, concerned.

"They're not sure," Mai informed, leaning on the arm of the couch. "A lot has happened after all. In the mean time, Mori-san will be taking charge of the office."

Ayako laughed, "It's a good thing you don't have to find a new job, Mai!"

Mai leered at the priestess, "It's a good thing you wont have to pay for my living cost."

"My wallet isn't _that _small."

"Good to know for future reference."

Lin exited his room, indicated by the click of his door. "Are you going away, too, Lin-san?" Bou-san inquired out of curiosity.

"No, I'll be staying here for a while…" he glanced down at Mai who had wondered to his side.

In the background they could hear Ayako fussing over why Naru was taking so long.

"Hey, Lin," Mai mumbled, "You know when you said you didn't like Japanese people before? You said there was someone who said the same thing as me. Was it Gene?"

Recalling the memory, Lin's lips tugged upwards so slightly that Mai could barely see it. "Yes."

'_Naru was right. Me and Gene are alike.'_

"Finally! What were you doing?" Ayako whined, standing from the couch. Only then did Mai realize that Naru had left his office.

"I don't remember making this a meeting place, so don't complain," Naru said harshy, turning away and walking towards the door.

A hot wave of embarrassment crashed over Ayako, who struggled to remain calm. Bou-san laughed, "Just ignore what he said and move on!"

"Well, I guess we can leave now," Yasuhara smiled, standing up.

"Yes," Masako nodded, bringing herself to her feet as well.

"I'll go ahead and get a cab, then!"

"Don't run or you'll fall!"

Mai turned to Naru and said, just barely over the racket, "What should I do with the spare key?"

"Just keep it. Madoka should come soon anyway," the dark-haired teen said as he shrugged on his coat. He reached into his pocket. "Here, I almost forgot."

"Huh?" Mai was surprised when the boy handed her a plaid handkerchief. However, there was something hard and rectangular within its folds. Unwrapping it, she gasped in realization. It was the picture! "This is–!"

"My mother forgot it. I don't think that she minds, either," he said, his face void of emotion.

"I can…keep it?" Mai inquired slowly.

Naru didn't reply before he turned away from her, making his way towards the door, which was agape as if just waiting for them to exit.

"Wait, Naru!" Mai called, grasping for his sleeve.

The boy halted.

"_Mai, Naru, are you coming?" _came Bou-san's voice from outside. With a dark blush on her face, Mai called back that they would be there in a minute.

Naru waited patiently. More patiently than ever before, in fact, as Mai realized that he was actually a very impatient person. Releasing his arm, she took a deep breath, praying that she didn't embarrass herself.

"I really like you."

He stared at her blankly, which really surprised her more that it should have.

"Didn't I say that I don't like it when people care about me?"

Mai's red face seemed to become even more so. "That's not what I meant Naru! Geez, you're so slow…I meant…I like you in a very special way."

A smile came to his lips, but when she looked into his eyes, she knew that the smile had been empty.

"Me, or Gene?"

Mai could've sworn she felt her heart stop at that moment. Naru looked as if he had been betrayed. She'd never seen this expression on his face before, and it was because he thought she loved his dead twin brother?

"What do you mean…? No, that's not…" Tears formed in her eyes. "I didn't know! I didn't know it was him…"

Naru looked away.

"But during our last case, I saw this picture on Martin-san's desk of you two and it kind of clicked, even though I was in denial..."

He looked up at her in what seemed to be shock.

"But it's you Naru. It's always been you," she sobbed, rubbing her eyes. "No matter how many times Gene has lead me through a dream, or smiled at me, it was the you in real life…your tea-obsessed, narcissistic, smart-aleck–"

The words died on her lips as Naru rested his hand on her head.

She looked up in confusion.

"Okay," he said, this time with a genuine smile.

"Okay?" she inquired.

"Okay."

* * *

><p>Dammit, I didn't know how else to end it! I hope you guys aren't super upset with the way I reformatted things, but I felt like this was the best way. Also, I took some liberties with Naru's story of how Gene died (you will see why in the future!) and also with Martin and Luella's visit. Also this chapter is super looooooong! I really wanted to get this done, but towards the end I had a lot of trouble trying to figure out how I wanted the confession part to go, so I avoided it lol.<p>

Review, let me know your thoughts!


	26. File 6: Accidents Happen :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 6: Accidents Happen

* * *

><p>"Taxi!" Mai called, waving her hand in the air. The particular cab that she had been trying to flag down passed her by, probably with another fare already inside. Luckily for her, the following taxicab stopped.<p>

Mai smiled, opening the door and sliding onto the old beige leather seats. "Shibuya, please."

The driver nodded at her through the review mirror with wrinkles at his eyes. He turned the radio down to a whisper as he began to speak. "What's such a pretty young lady like you doing alone at this time of night? Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend?" He pulled off of the curb and began the journey to Shibuya.

Mai felt the heat rushing to her cheeks.

His words were teasing, but gentle, and she knew they were not meant to be inappropriate or suggestive. Mai was pretty good at judging whether people were 'good' or 'bad,' though most of the time she liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. This driver, however, was just an elderly man looking for some meaningful conversation.

"I'm flattered," Mai said with a laugh, "but there's no boyfriend. I'm actually just heading to my work place to pick up a few things."

"No boyfriend?" Mai could see his eyebrows lift, creasing his forehead in wrinkles. "Such a shame."

"Well, there is a guy," Mai shared a sad smile with the cab driver through the review mirror, "but I'm not exactly sure how he feels about me yet."

"This boy must be stupid if he hasn't confessed yet!" The driver suggested.

Mai laughed, "You mean, anything but. He's probably the smartest person I know."

"I can tell just by looking at you that he doesn't know what he's missing," the elderly man said, a twinkle in his eyes. Mai smiled, about to reply, when her phone suddenly vibrated against her thigh.

She pulled the device out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID. As soon as Naru had gotten back from England, she had convinced him to get a cell phone. And with that, he had finally given her his phone number. The brunette was happy to know he was actually using it.

"Speak of the devil, here he is right now. If you'll excuse me, I should probably take this."

The driver sat in knowing silence as Mai answered the call. "Naru, what's up?"

"_Where are you?"_ he inquired stringently, as if he had been waiting hours for her to show up at the office.

"I just got a taxi two minutes ago," she replied slowly. "Why?"

"_I just thought you'd be stupid enough to walk here."_ Mai rolled her eyes. As usual, full of insults.

"Oh, yee have little faith," she said. "Anyway, we're sitting at a red light on the corner of Aoyama and Omotesando, but there's little traffic so I'll probably be there in five minutes or so."

"_As long as you get here."_ The light turned from red to green and Mai smiled.

"Of course I wi–"

At that moment, the taxicab began to move forward. From that point, everything seemed to transpire as though in slow motion. Mai turned her head to the side, phone still on her ear as she came face to face with an oncoming car that hadn't stopped at the intersecting red light.

The collision sounded much like an explosion. Suddenly Mai was pulled taught against her seatbelt, which seemed to keep her in place well enough, however she couldn't say the same for her phone as it flew out of her hand and hit the car window opposite of the one that was currently shattering from the impact of the other vehicle.

The taxicab tipped and rolled to the left, halting the other cars in their path as it slid with a metallic shriek on its roof. Mai hung upside down, still strapped in by her seatbelt.

A burst of white filled her vision upon impact and the sound of the radio had gone completely silent. At first, Mai thought maybe she might be having some sort of dream, but as the two vehicles came to a stop, the reality had come crashing down.

She had just been in an accident. She needed to get herself and the drivers out of their cars just in case. She was unhurt, but badly shaken. She needed to call 1-1-9.

She sprung into action, fumbling frantically with her seat buckle until it finally released her and dropped her the last few inches onto the ceiling of the overturned vehicle. Mai realized she was curled on top of her phone and breathed a sigh of relief that it hadn't been lost in the rubble (or broken at that – good thing it was an old model).

Disoriented, it took Mai a while to crawl to the opposite side of the car and find the door handle. She reached out, jiggling it with all of her might. At first it would not open, but soon it swung open with a loud popping noise.

There were people screaming, someone giving out orders, footsteps – so many of them, running all over the place. The brunette almost couldn't think with all of this commotion going on, but Naru might argue that she barely ever thought at all.

A strong hand seized her by the arm and hauled her out of the overturned car. She staggered a bit, having thought for a second that she was already outside of the car, but some more hands came to the rescue, holding her up. They were small and comforting this time, resting on her shoulders, telling her to sit down.

And she did, as if she couldn't manage to do anything else. Everything was spinning, like that horrible ride on the playground that her dad used to stick her on – and he would spin and spin and spin.

Mai succeeded in keeping the vomit back by staring intently at the black asphalt for what seemed like hours. The glass splayed across the ground from the shattered windows reflected the bright neon lights of the store signs, entertaining Mai as they changed every so often.

They were talking about her, she realized after a while. She was lucky to be alive. She should be dead. The other driver was lucky too. But the old man…the taxi driver was in critical condition.

Realizing her phone was still clutched tightly in her hand, Mai shakily dialed the office's number.

* * *

><p>Naru frowned as the call was dropped. He looked at the office phone curiously.<p>

These things did happen, he figured, setting the phone onto its receiver and not giving it second thought. It wasn't until the phone rang and Naru answered to the distraught and pleading voice of his young assistant that he realized something horrible had happened.

"Naru," she silently sobbed, her voice little more than a whisper.

He stood from his chair, nearly knocking it back, "Mai, what happened?"

"There was an accident!" It was the only part of her spiel that was coherent enough for him to make out. She had said something else that included the words 'driver' and 'glass,' but Naru had stopped listening by that time.

"I'm on my way."

* * *

><p><em>After the phone line went dead, it took a good while for Mai to realize she was even having a dream. Slowly but surely, the asphalt had turned into dreamscape right before her eyes.<em>

_That meant this was the first time without her spirit guide, Gene, to help her. Her heart swelled with disappointment knowing that she would not be able to see his smiling face, even in the most difficult of situations anymore._

_She stood once the scenery began to change, white seeping into the black distance and creating a grey landscape that reminded her of a newspaper._

Mai immediately recognized the fact that she was standing on the corner of Aoyama and Omotesando. It was completely barren; no cars and no people. All of the stores seemed to be closed as well. Only hints of colors tinged some areas of the scene, whereas all other areas remained shadowed and dark.

_The combination of dark and quiet lead Mai to the assumption that it must've been either extremely late at night or early in the morning. The brunette looked up, the changing of traffic lights, which seemed to be the only vibrant color in the vision, catching her eyes. _

_What was she supposed to do now?_

_Mai closed her eyes tight, wishing for Gene's guidance. Seconds later, a footstep landed at her side and she had to do a double take at the person she looked up to see. "G-Gene?!"_

_The Naru look-alike standing at her side did not answer. In fact, he refused to acknowledge her at all. He stared dead ahead, looking at the hand signal across the street that was telling him to wait, although with the streets this empty it hardly seemed necessary._

_Heavy droplets of rain began to fall, and Gene suddenly seemed to think the same thing as he ignored the traffic signal and stepped from the sidewalk and onto the street. _

"_Gene, what are you doing here?" Mai called after him, not understanding why he was ignoring her. "Naru said–"_

_It was milliseconds later in which Mai heard the distinctive roar of a car engine that made her realize that Gene was not in her dream as a guide this time, but the victim of a terrifying murder._

_The brunette nearly choked, not sure if she was going to be able to handle the scene unfolding before her. "Gene, get out of the street!" she shrieked, her face contorting with horror as the red sports car sped out of the darkness. The vehicle's tires screeched against the same asphalt Mai had been sitting on seconds ago, but was unable to grip it as the rain slickened its surface. _

_Just like her own car accident seemed to happen in slow motion, so had this. The red car plowed past the white lines of the crosswalk and straight into Gene._

* * *

><p>Mai didn't realize her lungs were lacking air until she was gasping for it upon her awakening. She loosened her fingers, which had been gripping at the hospital sheets beneath her, and stared wide-eye at her surroundings.<p>

A doctor from across the room, who seemed to be flipping through some papers, turned upon hearing the noise. "Taniyama-san," he said easily, as if they were good friends who hadn't seen each other in a while. "How are you feeling?"

She looked at him wearily. "Okay, I guess. Where am I?"

"Red Cross Medical Center in Shibuya," he replied, giving her an eye-wrinkling smile as he walked over.

The smile reminded her of the taxicab driver. "The other man who was in the car with me – the taxi driver – what happened to him?!" She inquired, almost frantically. She hoped to god he had good news – or at least better news than what she'd heard at the scene of the accident.

The doctor frowned, checking her vitals, speaking softy over the incessant beeping that filled the room. "He's still in critical condition, unfortunately."

"Well, everything looks good here," the doctor nodded to himself, checking off several things on the clipboard in his hand. "If everything checks out, you'll probably be able to leave sometime today. We still need the results of several of your blood tests, but those should be back by lunch…"

'_By lunch?'_ Mai looked out of the window to her far right only to realize that the sun was shining brightly. That meant she had stayed the night in the hospital.

"And also, you're friends have been waiting to see you," the older man added as a side note, tucking the clipboard underneath his arm with another eye-wrinkling smile, "Should I allow them in?"

Mai nodded slowly and the doctor left, leaving the door open.

"Mai," came Bou-san's exclamation of relief as he, followed by Ayako and John, entered the room.

Although she was disappointed by the lacking presence of her employer, Mai managed a small smile for her friends. "Hey, guys."

"We were worried sick over you!" Ayako huffed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Mai's ear. "We just suddenly got a call from Lin saying that you were in the hospital. He didn't even give us an explanation before he hung up."

Mai would've laughed had she not felt so incredibly sore. "That definitely sounds like something he would do."

"Yeah," Bou-san sighed, sitting on the side of her bed, "well, it almost gave us a heart attack."

At that moment, Masako stepped into the room, sliding the door closed behind her. She looked upon Mai for the first time with shock. Mai was wondering why she looked so surprised, when John suddenly spoke up.

"How did it go?"

"How did what go?" Mai inquired, wondering if they were talking about some sort of T.V. appearance of Masako's that she might not have been aware of.

Bou-san ruffled her hair gently, unsure of what sort of head injuries she might have. "Distracting the press. They've been insisting on an interview with you since last night."

No wonder Naru was trying to stay away. "Why? I mean, sure it was a big accident, but why are they doing interviews?"

"The driver of the car that crashed into you claimed that the accident had been caused by some sort of psychic intervention," Masako spoke for the first time. "I'm surprised you're not in worse condition. From the way Lin described the scene of the accident over the phone it sounded much more serious."

Ignoring her latter comment, Mai went on to ask, "Psychic intervention? What makes him think that?"

"He claims that he was possessed by something," Ayako rolled her eyes, "Just an excuse, if you ask me. Placing the blame of the accident on something other than himself."

On the other hand, Mai had a psychic dream just after the accident. Did that mean the driver had been right about psychic intervention? If that was so, then it had to have been either the woman in the red sports car or Gene who had possessed the man, and considering that the woman who killed Gene was (supposedly) alive and well, it only led her to one conclusion.

But Gene had moved on, hadn't he?

"_You'll probably see him again,"_ she remembered Naru saying to her. But it had been in reference to after they were all dead. It had been meant as a joke.

Right?

"…ai? Mai!" The brunette was finally broken from her trance by a certain priestess waving a manicured hand in front of her face. "Geez, do you ever listen?"

Mai glared at the woman before crossing her arms. Maybe she should've told the doctor 'no' when he asked if she wanted to see her friends.

"He's claiming his brakes weren't working. They had some mechanics check out the car, but they found them fully functional. Now he's pawning it off on the fact that he thinks its psychic," Bou-san sighed.

"You never know," Mai shrugged, "Maybe we should investigate?"

"We've already suggested that, but _Naru_," Ayako paused with disdain, "says it's a waste of time."

John smiled. "I thought you agreed with him?"

"I do, he just infuriates me. Anyway, that intersection has always been a popular accident site, so his story isn't really holding up."

Mai looked up from her lap. "Do you guys know anything about the taxi cab driver that I was in the car with? Is he going to be okay?"

Bou-san gave his girlfriend a weary look before smiling sadly down at the brunette. "Well, I heard he's still in the ICU. They're not sure if he can make a full recovery at his age…"

Tears welled in her eyes. For some reason it felt like this was all her fault. What if Gene was still trying to act as her spirit guide and possessed the driver, which had caused the crash, so that Mai could dream about what happened?

If she had never gotten into the cab, that old man would be perfectly healthy.

"It's all my fault!" she suddenly sobbed, resting her head on Bou-san's shoulder, since he happened to be the closest.

"What? No, Mai, of course its not your fault!" the monk consoled, rubbing soothing circles into her back. "What makes you think that?"

"The accident never would've happened if I wouldn't have gotten into that taxi!"

John smiled sadly at the girl from the end of the bed. "Nothing you did would've changed what happened."

They didn't understand. They couldn't.

This was all her fault.

* * *

><p>Soooo, some liked the confession, others not so much. The reason I left it that way is because I don't feel like Naru would've responded with his own feeling, even though he definitely has them (in this story at least). Just like how Naru avoids telling Mai how he feels and instead suggests that she like his brother.<p>

I wanted Naru's vision of how Gene died to coincide with this case, so that's why I had to change it in the previous chapter. Hope you guys don't mind! Anyway, now that the whole Oliver Davis thing has blown over, we can move on to better things! Also, as far as Naru's confession goes, Mai is still not sure whether Naru has feelings for her or not. That's for me to know and you guys to read on and find out.

Wow, I feel evil.


	27. File 6: Accidents Happen :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 6: Accidents Happen

* * *

><p>It was around two in the afternoon before Mai was finally cleared for release, and she had still seen no sign of her employer and his tall Chinese shadow. After tugging on the clothes that she had been in during the accident, which had spots of blood here and there from a cut on her arm, the brunette was ready to leave.<p>

"So where exactly is Naru?" Mai inquired for the first since she woke up. He had been mysteriously absent all day, even after Masako claimed that she had managed to assuage the reporters and camera crews.

Bou-san offered her a nervous smile. "Off on business or something of the sort."

Mai looked at the monk in suspicion. He knew something she didn't.

Ayako pattered her hand, not noticing the accusatory looks Mai was shooting her boyfriend. "Well, now that you're properly dressed, it looks like we can leave."

As John, Masako, and Ayako exited the room, Mai gabbed Bou-san by the arm and pulled him back until he fell in step at her side. "Where's Naru _really_?" she smiled slyly, knowing for sure that she had caught him lying when he avoided looking down at her.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean."

"Don't give me that, I want the truth," she demanded, stepping on his foot to prove her point.

Wincing at the pressure, the monk threw her a pained grin. "Not exactly light on your feet, are you?"

Red tinting her cheeks, Mai dug her nails into his arm. "Bou-san."

The monk sighed, lowing his voice. "I'm sorry, Mai, I've been sworn to secrecy. I really can't tell you."

Rolling her eyes, Mai looked down at her feet, unable to contain her obvious disappointment. She had been so sure he would've been waiting there for her when she woke up. For a moment she had actually though his 'okay' had meant something special. Maybe he had returned her feelings? But if he really cared for her, he would've been at her side, wouldn't he?

"Naru wanted to be there, but he really did have business to tend to," Bou-san informed, as if having read her thoughts. "Believe me, I thought he was going to throw a fit when the doctor wouldn't let him in to see you. He was also there at the accident, but I think he said the ambulance was just leaving when he got there."

"What?" Mai looked at him in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing," the monk said sweetly, flicking her forehead and picking up his pace so that she had trouble catching up.

"Hey wait a second! Get back here!"

* * *

><p>The afternoon sun beat down on Mai as she exited the refreshingly cool teahouse, the plastic bag that hung in the crease of her elbow containing some ingredients for a new tea that she wanted to try out.<p>

A few days had passed since the accident, and Mai was anxious about the situation with Gene. The truth of the matter was that she had wanted to visit the intersection where the accident happened to gather clues. Of course, Naru had strictly objected to her taking a walk down to the area, but when the mention of tea came into the picture, he reluctantly agreed.

He never brought up her time in the hospital, or even made an excuse as to why he hadn't visited, much to Mai's disappointment.

Beads of sweat trickled uncomfortably down the brunette's neck as she came upon the intersection. She came to a stop behind the group of people waiting to cross the street, looking down at her feet.

If Gene were here, would he give her a sign? A vision? She was suddenly very lightheaded and dizzy with worry. Should she or should she not tell Naru? Gene was his brother, not to mention his twin; wasn't it his right to know? But then again, she didn't want to upset him after he had just come from England. The brunette sighed.

"_Who are you?"_

_Mai jumped at the voice, looking to her side. A small boy, around seven or so, looked up at Mai with bright, brown eyes. _

_Suddenly the chatter on the street was lost. Mai looked around frantically, only to realize that she and the boy were alone on the street corner. Not only that, but they were definitely not in present-day Japan. The modern shops that once lined Aoyama were now wooden and outdated, the streets, which had recently become asphalt, changed into cobble._

_This must be a dream, she concluded. But where on earth was Gene? Wasn't this about him? Before she could continue to wrack her brain for answers, the boy, who seemed to notice her confusion, spoke up._

"_Are you okay? You look lost."_

_Mai smiled nervously, squatting to get eye-level with him. "I must be! Can you tell me where I am?"_

"_On the corner of Aoyama and Omotesando!" he informed with a small smile._

"_Thank you very much! I didn't get your name…"_

"_My mom says not to give my name to strangers," the boy broke out in a grin, his eyes shinning, "but you look nice. My name is Tonomori Youta."_

_Finding amusement at Youta's comment, Mai laughed. "You should listen to your mom!"_

_Youta's eyebrows shot up past his unruly bangs, which hid his entire forehead. "So you're not a nice person?" _

"_Well, I am, but if I happened to be a bad person you'd be in big trouble, right?" Mai smiled. "I'm Taniyama Mai, it's nice to meet you Tonomori-kun."_

_The kid shook his head violently, flinging his brown locks every which way. "No, we're friends now! You call me You-kun and I call you Mai-chan!"_

_Mai was unable to contain the wide grin on her face. "Okay, You-kun." Just then, she seemed to really take in her surroundings. Not only was she in some sort of past, but the scenery of her dream was in black and white. She'd never had a dream like this before._

_Although she could just barely see the sun hovering over the horizon, it was hard to say whether it was rising or setting. The intersection was sparse, with a person or two here and there. Shopkeepers were either getting ready for a day of labor or picking everything up for a good nights rest; Mai couldn't tell. _

"_Can you tell me what time it is?" she inquired hopefully._

"_I'm not sure exactly what time it is," he regretted to inform, "but I've got to go soon, or else I'm going to be late to school."_

_So it was early in the morning. Mai nodded, patting him on the shoulder. "You'd better be off then! Will you be alright on your own?"_

"_I started walking to school on my own at the beginning of the school year, so I'm used to it," Youta grinned, leaning into her touch as she ruffled his hair playfully – a habit she must've picked up from Bou-san. "Mom says I'm a grown up now!"_

"_Well, you be careful, okay?" she demanded, watching as the boy scampered across the street when no rickshaws were in sight. Her heart tightened as he did so, thinking that maybe a red sports car would appear out of no where and plow into the small child much like it had to Gene._

_Youta, however, managed to cross the street with no mishaps. He turned and waved when he reached the other side successfully. "Bye, Mai-chan!"_

* * *

><p>Mai was pleasantly surprised to regain consciousness in a refreshing, air-conditioned room. The figure beside her, who had been fanning her with a piece of paper, quickly dropped what he was doing to lightly take hold of her shoulders. "Taniyama-san, are you okay? Taniyama-san?"<p>

The brunette couldn't believe how loud his voice sounded in her ears. In an attempt to keep the stranger from worrying further, Mai nodded. A pressure on her lips caused Mai to open her eyes wide with shock, but she calmed herself when she realized it was just a wheat cracker.

"I didn't mean to startle you," the man said with a smile, "but you should probably eat this if you don't want to faint again. I also have some water for you." He gestured to a plate of crackers.

Taking the cracker into her own hands as the stranger stood to retrieve a glass of water from the kitchen just feet away, Mai took this chance to observe her surroundings.

She was laying on a couch in what seemed to be a normal, tatami-matted living room. When she looked out of the window across the room, she deduced that they were on the second story of whatever building they were in and, from the cherry blossom trees and distinctive lampposts outside, that they were still in Aoyama.

She finished her cracker as the man came back into the room, holding a much-needed tall glass of ice water. "Thank you," she trailed off, waiting for the man's name.

The brunette boy blushed, handing her the beverage sheepishly. "My apologies, Taniyama-san! You must be so confused. I'm Tonomori Asahi!"

"How do you know my name?" Mai inquired, staring at him blankly.

"About that," Asahi's face seemed to redden even further, "I looked through your stuff and I found your school ID."

"Oh," Mai mouth formed in the shape of an 'o' as she took the water from him graciously. How else would he have known her name? After all, it's not like they knew each other.

Mai glanced over at his handsome features.

Or _did_ they? This Asahi guy was starting to look more and more familiar to her.

Mai traced the outline of his unruly brown hair with her eyes. He seemed too old to be enrolled at her school, however. Maybe he was a former graduate? His name was also slightly familiar, as well. Maybe he had a sibling that she happened to attend school with?

Only upon looking at his face did Mai realize with a start that he was staring intently at her with similar interest. "Do I know you from somewhere?" he inquired, with a tone of what seemed like suspicion in his voice.

"You think so, too?" Mai was shocked. They _must_ know each other from somewhere!

Asahi nodded, before losing himself in thought. After a moment of silence, the brunette finally gasped. "You're the girl from the car crash, aren't you?"

"Eh?!" Mai nearly dropped the glass of water into her lap. "Y-You were there?"

"Well, I mean the crash sight was just across the street," he laughed, "We were picking up the chairs from outside when it happened. My uncle was the one that pulled you out of the car. He's pretty strong – used to by a fireman."

Although half of what he had said was still confusing for her, suddenly Mai gasped in recognition as well. She knew exactly where she recognized Asahi from, except it wasn't from the accident earlier that week.

Asahi smiled, not sensing her wary expression. "You remember me, right? I was the one that helped you sit down after you got out of the car! I guess that kind of makes me your hero!" he exclaimed, jokingly.

"Yeah, that's right," she said, hoping her nervousness wasn't seeping through her lie.

She had recognized him from her dream. Tonomori Asahi looked exactly like the boy in her dream. They had to be related; even their surnames were the same! It was just too much of a coincidence.

"Oh! I also talked to your boyfriend over the phone, so he's coming to get you."

Mai's brown eyes widened with shock. "_Who_ exactly is my boyfriend?"

"Well, I assumed he was. Actually, it was an incoming call that I answered. The caller ID said–" A knock on the door pulled Asahi's attention from her.

Seconds later, Naru was looking down at her disapprovingly.

Of course it had to be him.

"What happened?" Naru inquired, impassively. However, Mai knew better than to believe that he wasn't upset with her. Over the years of having known him, she knew by the tenseness in his shoulders and the tapping of his fingers on his crossed arms that he was extremely upset.

Asahi seemed to sense something similar to Mai's own thoughts. In fact, he had known from the very moment he answered the incoming call when he had heard this man's voice turn dangerously hard that he was in an extraordinarily bad mood. Deciding to spare the brunette girl at his side, he answered for her.

"My uncle owns the café downstairs and I work there part-time as a waiter. It was the middle of rush hour, when all of the sudden there was a big uproar outside. Apparently she fainted while waiting for the light. Since we couldn't just ignore it, my uncle let me watch over her until I could find someone to bring her home," he explained with a kind smile down at Mai.

So there was a café down below. She had been confused during his explanation of the car wreck, saying things like he had been picking up chairs from outside when it happened, but now it made sense. The brunette blushed, horribly embarrassed at the scene she must've caused by randomly passing out in public.

With an intense blush, Mai stood and bowed deeply, handing the water back to Asahi. "I'm so sorry for the trouble."

Reaching into his breast pocket, Asahi handed her a piece of paper with a playful wink. "Don't worry about it! I'm your hero, remember? If you need anything at all, give me a call."

Naru's expression darkened as the brunette accepted the business card from the boy. "That will not be needed," he said as calmly as possible, taking Mai by the wrist and leading her downstairs and out of café.

"Hold on a second–! Would you slow down?" Mai demanded, resisting him albeit it was halfheartedly. "Why are you always so rude to people?"

"From now on, you should refrain coming here," what Naru would've called a friendly suggestion, came across more as an order to the brunette. She also wasn't sure whether he was talking about Asahi's uncle's café or Aoyama in general. She's sure if she asked he would say both.

Mai huffed, avoided the prying eyes of passerby's by looking at her feet as they walked. "I probably just fainted from the heat. It's not a big deal. And I don't understand why you're so angry at me!"

"I'm not angry," he said, his voice unchanging although he loosened his grip on her wrist. He made sure he still had a firm hold on her however, looking straight ahead. "You go on a thirty minute trip and take an hour instead–"

"That was not my fault!" Mai protested.

Naru continued, ignoring her side comment. "Then, when I call to check on you, a male whom I don't know answers the phone–"

"Again, I was unconscious–"

"How do you think I should've felt?" he finally inquired, turning around to look at her. His intense gaze caused a heat wave throughout her body.

"H-How am I supposed to know, stupid!" she stuttered, looking down at her feet once again, suddenly hyper-aware of his possessive hold on her.

Naru scoffed at her response. "How would a normal person feel in that situation?" he egged on, waiting for her response.

Mai hesitated. "Worried?" she inquired, her voice barely reaching above a whisper as wishful thinking began clouding her heart, "but then again, you're not exactly a normal person."

He gave her wrist a squeeze and his eyes narrowed, possibly unsure whether or not she was referencing to his true identity or simply his attitude in general. Was he worried she would blow his cover?

Ashamed that she had said anything on the subject at all, Mai continued to walk with her head down.

Solemnly, Mai wondered if her day could possibly get any worse.

She inhaled sharply, stopping in her tracks, realizing that it just had.

Naru looked back at her in confusion, a sentiment that usually did not cross his features. "What is it?"

"The _tea_!"

Naru glared at her sharply. "We're not going back," he said, his tone final. They remained stopped on the street, Naru attempting to drag his assistant back to the office, and Mai resisting with all of her might.

"Naru, do you know how much those ingredients cost?" she inquired, eyes wide at the revelation that she had just wasted her hard-earned money.

"You shouldn't have forgotten it in the first place," was his cold retort.

"Naru, I got them for you!" she insisted, "We have to go back!"

Whereas this statement caused the narcissist to reconsider going back, he continued to shake his head after a moment's hesitation. "I refuse," he said stubbornly.

"Then I'll go by myself!"

"I decline."

"Naru!" she whined in frustration. That money was not going to waste if she could help it. She would just have to retrieve it on her way home that night. "Fine."

Slightly surprised at her easy surrender, Naru stared at her evenly before they continued on their way back to the office without another word. It was hard, however, for Mai to take pleasure in the fact that Naru was holding her wrist now that he was squeezing it so hard.

Later that night, Naru had offered Mai a ride home with him and Lin. Seeing as how it would be suspicious for her to deny it when she usually jumped at the chance to not walk home, she reluctantly agreed.

As if Naru had somehow known he'd successfully foiled her plans to go back to Aoyama, he didn't even attempt to hide his smirk.

* * *

><p>I somehow always manage to make it look like someone is hitting on Mai. I need to stop. Next time it'll be another character, I swear. LOL Anyway, thanks so much for the awesome reviews! They mean so much and I'm so glad that you guys are on board with the next case. I hope it turns out okay!<p>

Also for those who asked that I write the first chapter in different POVs, I deeply apologize, but I'm just not up to it. I might have like a flashback in someone else's POV, but I think that's as far as I'll go with that.

For some reason I feel like I'm going too slow with this case as it is. Haha. Anyway stay tuned for an update soon!


	28. File 6: Accidents Happen :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 6: Accidents Happen

* * *

><p>"Sorry, I'm late," Mai apologized loudly as she entered the office a whole ten minutes after her shift had started.<p>

Although this was hardly unusual, the eerie silence that came from Naru's office even after she had announced her tardiness certainly was. That work-a-holic rarely wasted a chance to fuss at her for having horrible punctuality from the dark confines of his private office. Hell, there had even been a few times where he'd left his room to give her a piece of his mind.

However, all that awaited her was deafening quiet.

Surprised by the lack of response, she set her school bag on her desk and ventured curiously to the door that lead to Naru's office. After a tentative knock, she waited again for a reply, but to no avail.

Knowing that she was forbidden to enter the room without her employer's permission, Mai sighed. Maybe asking Lin would give her more success in her quest to find out where the mysterious narcissist had gone. _Someone_ had to be present, after all the office door had been open upon her arrival and she was scheduled to work today.

After a few sharp knocks, Mai was greeted at Lin's door. "Just wanted to know if you'd like some tea," she offered cheerfully.

The onmyouji shook his head. "No thank you."

Her smile faltering, the brunette went on to say, "I went to ask Naru, but it seems he's not in…"

Now seeing her true motives for coming to see him, Lin barely contained a knowing smile. "He should be back soon."

"I see," she said, thoroughly disappointed by her co-worker's reluctance to provide her with meaningful information. "Sorry for disturbing you."

After Lin dismissed himself and closed the door, Mai shuffled tiredly over towards her desk and flopped into her chair without reserve. She wasn't sure why she had been feeling so drained as of late, but she had a sneaking suspicion that it had to do something with the Gene situation as well as the dream she'd had of that kid and her fated meeting with a certain Tonomori Asahi.

Maybe Mai's fatigue was caused by her brain's inability to process the onslaught of strange events that had transpired over the past week? She knew there was something going on, a bigger picture, but she didn't have enough of the puzzle pieces to put it together yet. At least not without someone's help…

Her mind wondered to Naru and his sudden disappearing act over the past few days.

Where was he? Who was he with? What was he doing? During her time at the hospital and even now, these questions plagued Mai until she couldn't stand it. She felt too much like an over-protective girlfriend.

Standing after a moments rest, Mai made her way to the kitchen, confident that some tea would calm her scrambled thoughts. Before she even realized it, the brunette was already steeping a second cup out of habit. Her cheeks tinted red at the fact that her crush had dominated her mind to this extent.

Her embarrassment, however, yielded to surprise when Naru walked through the office door not a moment later. "Naru, welcome back!" she called, her voice revealing much more excitement than she had meant for.

His stone cold eyes met hers through the kitchenette window and the stoic teenager paused in his trek towards his office. Upon seeing the two cups, which Mai was waiting on to fully steep, he raised an eyebrow in approval. "I see you're not slacking off like usual."

It took a few seconds after he had retreated into his office for Mai to recover, quickly correcting her wide-open mouth.

"You jerk!"

* * *

><p>Later that day when she'd gone to pour Naru another round of tea, Mai incidentally eavesdropped on a conversation between him and Lin. Although technically stumbling upon their conversation had been accidental, the brunette could've walked away from the situation. Instead, she strained to hear their muffled voices through the heavy door.<p>

"There was nothing there," Naru said impatiently, as if he'd said it multiple times before.

"Are you sure you looked in the right places?" Lin inquired insistently.

"I went and touched every single germ-covered surface I could," her employer replied sarcastically. "I'm telling you there's nothing there. If there was, we would know by now."

"But Naru," the onmyouji protested.

"Just because Gene didn't happen to touch anything on the street corner doesn't mean that the accident didn't happen there. We just need more information."

Mai inhaled sharply. How was it possible that Naru and Lin knew what she knew? She hadn't said a word to anyone, and yet here they were talking about it as plain as day. She knocked loudly.

"We'll talk more later," Naru said with a sigh.

Backing away from the door, Mai managed to smile at Lin as he exited. He nodded in her direction, before disappearing into his own room in silence. Stepping into Naru's office was a ritual that seemed to calm her, and she went straight away to her task of pouring his tea.

"Have you seen Gene recently?"

The question was asked so casually that it had caught her off guard. With shaking hands, Mai managed to spill tea all over his desk. Embarrassment flushing her features, Mai cursed under her breath and went quickly to retrieve a towel from the kitchenette to clean up the mess.

He stared at her pointedly as she mopped up the tea, "Mai."

"I'm not really sure what you're talking about," she lied sheepishly. Although she wanted to tell him what she knew, her fear of his anger for not telling him sooner was enough to make her stretch the truth. "The last time I talked to him was at the lake. I thought you were joking when you told me I might see him again."

Naru looked away, as if he were disappointed with the news. Mai immediately regretted lying to him.

"I'll let you know if I have any dreams or anything," she offered.

After leaving the room Mai sighed.

'_This sucks.'_

* * *

><p>Naru watched as his assistant left the office for the night, bidding her a safe trip home. Lin, as if sensing the brunette's absence, exited his room and came to his employer's side. "What did you find out from her?"<p>

The teenager sighed, his chin landing in his hand as he looked down in thought. "She's definitely hiding something. I have a feeling she saw something when she fainted yesterday. The fact that it was at the accident site is also slightly suspicious."

Lin hesitated before speaking again. "Why do you think she lied to you?"

Not having predicted the man's question, Naru remained silent.

* * *

><p><em>Before she realized it, calloused hands were pushing her up against a cold, gritty wall. Mai cried out in pain as her head cracked against the brick.<em>

_She fought helplessly for control, but the force that had her pinned was much stronger. Between the kidnapper's heavy pants and her own whimpering, Mai heard the distinctive sound of a belt buckle being undone._

"_No…" she whispered weakly. With a shocking revelation that the voice was not her own, but instead the small child she had met in her dream the previous day, Mai began to protest harder. "Let me go!"_

_Was that why she had seen that little boy during her fainting spell in Aoyama yesterday? Had he been kidnapped off of that street corner and raped one morning on his way to school? Had he died in this man's arms without finding peace? Could it be that he was still stuck – unable to accept what had happened to him and incapable of moving on?_

_Mai's thoughts were disrupted when a sweaty hand delved into her, or more accurately, Tonomori Youta's pants._

"_NO!"_

* * *

><p>Today, Mai decided to take matters into her own hands. It was an early Saturday morning and she had a good two hours before she had to get to the office for work. Having already called and asked Yasuhara to do a bit of research on a certain Tonomori Youta, the brunette figured it was time for her to do scrounging around of her own.<p>

Mai glanced nervously at the bold blue words that spelled 'Anniversaire Café' above two intimidating glass French doors. She had made sure to arrive right at opening time so that they wouldn't be too busy and so Asahi could answer a few of her questions.

The blue letters flickered to life as well as the foyer lights. Jumping a bit in surprise, Mai pressed her face to the glass, hoping to catch someone's attention seeing as the doors were still locked. She watched as an oblivious Asahi rushed around the lobby, tying his apron, wiping tables, arranging menus, and tending to store business, before knocking timidly on the glass.

This seemed to catch his attention. He hurried over to the door and smiled sheepishly at her through the glass as he unlocked the doors with a key that hung from his waist. "Taniyama-san! Sorry the doors were locked, we usually don't have customers this early."

"No, I should apologize for my unexpectedness," Mai blushed in protest, "Maybe I should've called?"

"Not at all!" Asahi laughed, "We _are _open, technically."

Mai nodded awkwardly, not sure how to begin what she wanted to say. She had so many questions to ask and so little time!

Sensing her uneasiness, Asahi offered her a seat. "Why don't I get you some tea?"

"Oh, no. I don't really have any money on me, I just came to talk to you," she interjected, realizing that she was unintentionally interrupting his work. "You're busy, maybe I should came back?"

"Its no problem! We're pretty empty in the mornings. And the tea is on me," he reassured. "Now sit tight."

Mai sighed once he was out of sight. She could use this time to gather her thoughts and think of how she was going to approach him. What should she tackle first, however? Gene or Youta?

Her phone vibrated, causing her to jump. After talking a deep breath, she looked to see that it was just Yasuhara. She held the device up to her ear, "What have you found?"

_"Something I bet you didn't see coming,"_ she could hear the college student's grin over the phone.

"What?" Mai inquired impatiently.

_"Tonomori Youta and Tonomori Asahi are related!"_ Yasuhara exclaimed.

Mai would've rolled her eyes if she weren't so tired. "Tell me something I don't know!"

_"Okay, okay. Let me tell you how they're related, though. It turns out Asahi's father is the son of Youta's cousin."_

"So…third cousins?" Mai suggested, drawing a mental family tree. "So, they're related on Youta's dad's side?"

_"Well, technically no. They're related on Youta's mom's side. His father left and divorced just after he was born, so he had his mom's surname growing up."_

"Anything else I should know?" the brunette said as she broke down, finally stealing a napkin and drawing the family tree out so her brain didn't go into overdrive.

_"Just that the disappearance of Tonomori Youta was a very popular case back in the 1930's. They spent years investigating, but it was eventually shut down because of the lack of evidence and, of course, WWII. Also, the apartment just above the café, was bought right after Youta's disappearance. It was in the name of Youta's uncle. Their family must've kept it since, and that's why Asahi's uncle lives there."_

"Thanks for the update," Mai nodded, about to pull the phone away from her face and end the call when she heard Yasuhara speaking again.

_"Oh, and Mai…don't get into too much trouble,"_ the boy warned.

"You're one to talk," she replied with a smile before finally hanging up.

"Who was that?" Asahi inquired, returning from the kitchen with a tray of fragrant red tea, setting it upon the table and pouring two ceramic cupful's before sitting across from her.

"Just a friend of mine," Mai said, gratefully accepting her treat.

"Oh," Asahi rose his eyebrows skeptically, "Not your boyfriend?"

"_Boyfriend? _No, no, Yasuhara and I are just friends! Nothing more."

"So it wasn't the guy from the other night?" Asahi smiled, seeing the blush rise on her cheeks. "The one that carried you off like your knight in shining armor?"

"Enough about him! If anything, he's the exact opposite," Mai protested, suddenly angry at the thought of her boss. While it was true that Naru was always popping up at the right moments to serendipitously rescue her from fates worse than death, there was nothing chivalrous about him. "Anyway–"

"Oh, but you should've heard how worried he had been when I answered the phone that night," Asahi went on to say, his grin widening even further as if he couldn't contain it. "He even threatened me!"

"What?" Suddenly interested, Mai leaned closer. "What did he say, exactly?"

"Never mind, it's nothing. Like you said, enough about him," he evaded, "Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Despite the burning need to know what Naru had said, it seemed that it was finally time to get down to business. Mai cleared her throat, suddenly nervous. "So, I'm curious. Ever since I heard your last name, I knew I recognized it from somewhere. Are you somehow related to Tonomori Youta?"

Asahi seemed so genuinely stunned by what she had said it took him a good while to finally answer. "Yes. I'm surprised that you even know about it."

Mai blushed, "It was a very popular case back in the 1930's. I read about it in one of my school textbooks."

"Yes, I'm his third cousin on his mother's side," Asahi explained with a sad smile. "As I believe the story goes, he was walking to school one morning when he disappeared off of the street corner. A few witnesses said they saw him following a large man in a trench coat. And that was the last time anyone saw him. They closed the investigation due to lack of evidence, though."

"Oh," Mai nodded sympathetically.

"It was actually _this_ street corner, in fact," Asahi said, pointing out of the glass windowed walls onto the street corner where Gene had supposedly been killed as well as where Mai had gotten into her wreck. What an accident-prone area. The brunette boy laughed. "Isn't that ironic?"

"But why would your family move here after he was kidnapped? Wouldn't that bring up too many bad memories?" Mai inquired.

Asahi paused, setting his tea down onto the table. "How do you know we moved here _after_?"

_Shit._

"I…just assumed?" Mai said slowly, hoping he would buy it.

Thankfully, Asahi dismissed her comment with a shrug, and looked out onto the street corner as it became more crowded with each passing second. "I'm not really sure. You could probably ask my uncle, though. His grandpa was Youta's uncle."

"ASAHI!"

A gruff voice yelled from the kitchen where Mai had seen Asahi retrieve the tea from earlier. "Speak of the devil," the boy chuckled.

"Asahi, you lazy, good-for-nothing! I told you five minutes ago to start working on the–" A much-older, buff, but balding man came out of the kitchen, whisk in hand like he was about to beat someone with it. Mai almost laughed at the sight of the man in his pink, frilly apron.

"Oji-san, remember Taniyama-san?" Asahi introduced with a smile.

The older man's mouth hung open for a moment, before he corrected himself with a pleasant smile. "Ah yes, Taniyama-san! Out little trouble maker."

The two family members chuckled good-naturedly, while Mai reddened in embarrassment with the nickname. It wasn't her fault she was so accident-proned. "Sorry for disturbing you that time."

Asahi's uncle smiled, waving away her concern. "It really wasn't any trouble at all, I'm just messing with you. But don't you think after two incidences like that in a week you should rest or something?" He laughed.

"I've been through worse," she reassured.

"Oji-san, Taniyama-san wanted to ask you about something," Asahi stood from the table motioning for his uncle to sit. "Meanwhile, I'll get started on the cakes!"

Realizing that the young girl's presence had distracted him from what he had originally left the kitchen for, Asahi's uncle called out to his nephew angrily, "You better get on those cakes, boy! And don't you dare cut corners!"

Smiling, Mai waited patiently waited for the man to stop grumbling under his breath to ask her question. "I was just talking to Asahi-kun about the disappearance of Tonomori Youta. He was just telling me that your grandfather had moved into this building just after it happened. I was just wondering why…"

Shocked, much like Asahi had been, it took a while for the man to regain his composure. "…Why our family would move here after such a horrible thing happened right across the street?"

Mai nodded sheepishly.

"Well," the balding man set his whisk onto the table with a sigh, "I suppose it was to catch the person responsible? After he was kidnapped, my grandmother, or Youta's mother, 'lost it' you could say. She moved in with my grandpa, but wouldn't rest until my family bought the apartment here. Apparently she spent all her time at the window, just watching the street corner."

Mai's eyes widened at the news. "That poor woman…"

Asahi's uncle smiled. "Was that all you wanted?"

Checking her watch, Mai reveled in the fact that she had an hour before work, which meant she could be early for once in her life. "Yes. Thank you so much for your time. And thank Asahi-kun for me too!"

The man nodded kindly as he watched her leave. "What a strange girl…"

There was a moment of peaceful silence before–

"_ASAHI_, get in here and pick up these dishes, dammit!"

* * *

><p>So I finally did it! For some reason I was having a really hard time getting this one out. I hope the next ones will be easier, but probably not. lol<p>

Read and review!


	29. File 6: Accidents Happen :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 6: Accidents Happen

* * *

><p>Mai bounced happily as she entered the office. For once in her life she had managed to be early to work, which she could now scratch off of her bucket list. Other than that, she had gotten a lot of useful information while going to visit Asahi and his uncle. Unfortunately, however, she had forgotten to ask about Gene, but then again what could they have possibly told her? Gene's killer had done such a good clean up that no one had any reason to suspect something strange had occurred. Otherwise, police would've been on the case already.<p>

So caught up in her thoughts of Gene, she hadn't noticed her boss had retreated from the darkness of his office and into the lighted lobby.

"Mai," the teenager said, surprising Mai out of her reverie. She knew that tone: it was often used when he was angry or upset at something.

"Hey, I'm early today," the brunette countered with a frown, "You have no right to lecture me!"

Naru's harsh glare shut her up quick. "On the contrary, I do."

Mai blinked, her mind suddenly clouded with anxiety. This could only mean one of multiple things. "You…do?"

"You've been having dreams," he stated, stepping closer with his arms folded intimidatingly. Mai would've backed up, but it seemed as if her employer's eyes were hot-gluing her feet to the floor. "So why is it that I haven't heard a word about them?"

Although she normally would've tried to play it off with a laugh and say she had no clue what he was talking about, Mai was too genuinely shocked to succeed. Instead, she could only slump forward, her purse falling to floor.

"How did you know about Youta?" she inquired, shell-shocked.

Naru stared at her blankly, before his glare returned. It was at that moment Mai realized he had been talking about Gene, and that she had just managed to out herself.

"Care to explain?"

Mai smiled sheepishly. "It's really confusing actually. And it's a long story, you probably wouldn't want to hear it–"

"_Mai._"

She flinched. "Okay, fine. It started with that car accident…" After Mai had explained the situation and had been thoroughly chewed out by her boss for keeping it a secret, they sat together in awkward silence on the lobby couch.

"So you only had the one dream about Gene?" Naru questioned quietly.

Mai nodded. "I could try and visit Aoyama again. See if I can pick up something else–"

"Absolutely not," Naru said firmly, no room for objection in his voice. "Unless it's with me, at least."

Mai blushed at his words, but quickly shook off her embarrassment. If the other SPR members were involved in the situation, he probably would've said not to go unless it was with any one of them. But it was just the two of them, so of course he was the only one he would allow her to go with.

"What about Youta? Shouldn't we try and help him pass on?" she inquired softly, bumping into her boss subconsciously as if to get his mind off of Gene.

"We don't really have any leads on what could help him move on. The only real choice would be to exorcise him."

Mai frowned, not liking that idea. She searched her brain for anything that could help. "I think Yasuhara said something about the body never being found…Maybe that's it? Maybe if we find the body, Youta will pass on?"

"Any thoughts as to where the body would be?" Naru countered haughtily.

With a huff, the brunette frowned even further. "I'm telling you if I could go to Aoyama, I'm sure I'll find some sort of clues there."

The dark haired boy glared down at his assistant in further frustration. "And I told you I don't want you going–"

"Alone, I know," she interrupted with a smile, leaning forward, "That's why we'll go together, right?"

* * *

><p>Naru sighed, wondering unsuccessfully why he was cooperating in this wild goose chase of Mai's. The merciless summer sun was blazing above them, much like it had been for the past few weeks. He honestly wouldn't have been surprised if one of them suddenly had a stroke.<p>

Mai seemingly relished in the sun's warmth as she sauntered a foot or so ahead of him, leading the way to Asahi's uncle's establishment. She turned to face her employer, smiling. "Naru, we should go get tea when we get back to the office! That teashop I was telling you about is really close. Although…"

Although neither of them new when this 'chase' of theirs would be over. They might find his body right away, within the day even. On the other hand, there was a high chance of their hunt lasting much longer; weeks or months. As of now, they had no clues where Youta's body was, or even if that was the key to helping the boy pass on.

All of this was just a shot in the dark.

Mai however, was resolving to stay optimistic, it seemed. Her auburn hair, which Naru hadn't even realized he was staring at, became still as the girl suddenly stopped. Only then did Naru realize they were on the street corner.

Mai looked back at him nervously. "This was where I was standing when I first had a vision about Youta."

Naru came to stand next to her, ignoring the strange looks they were getting from passerby's. Without the abilities of a medium, however, he was unable to feel much other than the scalding afternoon heat. He sighed, glancing across the street at Asahi's uncle's restaurant.

Perhaps they'd have more luck there?

A dark figure in the second floor window caught Naru's eye. A woman with dark long hair, who seemed to be in her 40s, seemed to be staring directly at them. "Mai, do you know that woman?" Naru inquired slowly, nudging his assistant in case she hadn't heard.

He had figured that since, much to his displeasure, she had been to the café quite a number of times more than he had, she might've come into contact with the woman at least once.

Noticing the woman with a bit of surprise, Mai grabbed onto her employer's sleeve. "Is she…staring at us?"

"Not sure," Naru murmured, slightly distracted by Mai's hold on him.

Stepping so that she was half hidden from the woman's intense stare, the brunette looked up at her boss. "Naru, she's kind of freaking me ou–"

The realization hit her before she could even finish her sentence and Asahi's uncle's words flooded to the forefront of her mind.

'…_she spent all her time at the window, just watching the street corner.'_

Mai covered her mouth to conceal the horrified gasp that escaped. "Youta's _mother_."

"What?" Naru looked down at her, slightly confused. She hadn't mentioned anything about Youta's mother being in her visions.

"Asahi's uncle told me when I visited this morning the reason they decided to move to the street corner even after Youta was abducted that day. He said that Youta's mother had lost it and stared out of the window in her free time as if to find the person responsible." She returned his worried gaze. "That has to be her. That's his mother!"

* * *

><p>"Back again?" Asahi said playfully as he greeted Mai and Naru at the door. Wrapping an arm around the brunette's shoulder, he leaned down and said in a joking voice, "Should I get you two love birds a menu, or–"<p>

Shaking her head wildly, Mai fought the blush from rising. Naru glared at the waiter as he smiled down at his brunette assistant. "Actually, we have some business…"

Pausing at the seriousness of Naru's tone, he set the stack of menus down on his podium. "I'll be right back."

Mai looked at him nervously. "What are you going to tell him?"

"The truth?" Naru shrugged, glaring down at her. "Something you seem to be incapable of telling."

Mai wrung her hands together guiltily. "I had reasons for not telling you about Gene."

With a skeptically raised eyebrow, Naru leaned down so that he was face to face with his assistant, much like Asahi had been earlier. "Oh? And what would those reasons be?"

Blushing, the brunette went to take a step back only to realize there was a wall behind her. "I didn't want it to upset you. I mean, you had just come back from England. You had just finished dealing with the funeral and everything. I thought that…I didn't want you to hurt anymore." She began to tear up as she heard the words come out of her own mouth. She knew she had been in the wrong. She should've told him.

"It's not your right, you know," he said, his words painful for her to hear. "It's not your right to keep that information from me."

"I know," she whispered, so close to letting the tears fall. "I'm sorry. I hurt you more than helped. I'm so sorry."

A gentle hand rested on top of her head. Mai looked up in shock, taken back by how close their faces were. "The Mai I know would never willingly hurt anyone. I know you were just trying to help. I'm not mad at you." His voice was much softer than before, soothing her.

Letting out a small, relieved sigh, Mai was able to relax her tensed body. As if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, the tiredness she had felt over the last couple of days began to set in. Her eyes seemed to feel heavier by the second.

'_Youta, where are you?'_

Mai tried opening her eyes, which she hadn't realized were even closed, but they seemed to be glued shut. Instead, a scene began to play out on the blackness of the backs of her eyelids.

_The same woman Mai and Naru had seen earlier was seated at a windowsill, gazing sadly down onto the street corner as she huddled over something in her hands. She looked so withered and sad, cheeks wet as if she had been crying so long it had sucked the life out of her._

"_Where is my Youta?" she lamented, turning to Mai questioningly._

_Surprised that the woman could see her, the brunette stepped forward. "Ma'am, we're going to try as hard as possible to find your son's body."_

"_That's what the investigators said, but they found nothing!" the mother exclaimed._

_Her tone silenced Mai for a while, the only sounds were that of the woman's sobbing. Finally, the brunette had an idea. "Maybe not, but there might be another way to search for your son. I can't get together a full on investigation, but if there's something of Youta's I could borrow…?"_

_Sniffing, the woman held out single left shoe. "Like this?"_

_Mai sat next to the woman, holding out her hand. Youta's mother hesitantly put the shoe in the girl's hand. "Was this…?"_

"_The shoe Youta was wearing the day of the abduction, yes. It was the only evidence the police could find."_

_Holding the shoe tightly within her hands, Mai tried desperately to feel something – anything! An image, a sound, a smell…but to no avail. Tearing up, Mai handed back the item. "I'm sorry. I couldn't see anything…"_

_The mother smiled suddenly, and instead of taking the shoe back, curled Mai's fingers around the object. "It'll be of more use to you than to me."_

_Looking at the woman in confusion, Mai nodded. "I'll see what I can do."_

"_Thank you so much," the woman began tear up once more._

"_We'll find your son, I promise."_

"_I know you will."_

"…Taniyama-san?" A concerned someone voiced. "Does she usually do this?"

A more familiar voice sighed. "Quite a lot."

Mai moaned, bringing her hand to rub her face only to realize that she was squeezing something within it tightly. It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the light within the apartment building, but when it finally did she was shocked to see a child's left shoe within her grasp.

She dropped it with a gasp. "What–!"

Asahi laughed, clearly having no clue what had just happened. "I was wondering where you got that. I forgot we still had that in the house. Since you were interested in the case, I'll tell you that it was one of Youta's shoes that they found in a alleyway the day after his disappearance. I think the police gave it back to Youta's mother after they had closed the case."

At the sight of her pale face, Naru asked Asahi for a glass of water. When the boy had finally left the room, he turned to his assistant. "Where'd you _really_ get that shoe?"

"The dream – She told me to keep it, I didn't know…" Mai stuttered, as she watched Naru pick it up.

His shoulders slumped forward and his eyes closed. For a moment, he almost looked as if he were about to collapse on top of her lounging form. So this was psychometry, Mai thought grimly, wondering if Naru was envisioning Youta's gruesome death at that very moment. The same way he'd seen his own brother's death…

Seconds later, Asahi entered the room with a glass of water. After looking at Naru's pale face he stopped. "Is he okay?"

"Just thinking," Naru's baritone voice came as he picked up his head suddenly. "Sorry for the trouble. It's time we get back." Standing and offering Mai a hand, Naru nodded at Asahi and handed him the shoe.

"No problem, you guys are welcome anytime," Asahi smiled, following them downstairs to the café part of the building. "Next time you should actually order food, though!"

Mai, still confused about what they needed to do next, simply smiled and nodded, waving as she was pulled away by her boss.

When they were a good distance from the café, Mai managed to ask him over the chatter of the crowded streets, "What did you see?"

Naru almost seemed reluctant to answer, but eventually he said "…his body is somewhere in a forest. The sign I saw in my vision said Aokigahara."

Mai stopped in the middle of the busy streets, looking at her boss as if he'd just committed Youta's murder himself. "But that place…" Mai's breathing became shaky. Knowing now that Naru had lived in England most of his life, it was doubtful that he knew of that place's unfortunate popularity.

Naru looked back in confusion. "What?"

* * *

><p>Hahaha! Cliffhanger, of course. It was really hard to write this chapter somehow, but I eventually got it! Anyway, if anyone knows the forest I'm talking about, kudos to you! Also, if you're curious and want to look it up, be prepared for any information or pictures you may see - it's pretty gruesome! However, you don't need to feel obligated to go look it up or anything, if you're too lazy lol. I will provide all the information about the forest you need to know in the next chapter.<p> 


	30. File 6: Accidents Happen :: 5

Behind Closed Doors

File 6: Accidents Happen

* * *

><p>Mai tried to relax, leaning back against the car seat in between Naru and Lin and closing her eyes. She tried counting sheep, evening out her breathing, curling her toes (which she had read somewhere online would help one fall asleep faster), and anything else she could think of. Nothing seemed to work, however, as they left Shibuya and began the two hour trek to Mt. Fuji's Aokigahara forest.<p>

As Mai had explained to Naru before they set off on their journey, Aokigahara forest was apparently the second most popular place in the world for suicides. Legend said, apparently, that it all started when some book in the 60s was published about two lovers committing suicide in said forest. After it became a suicide hotspot, the Japanese government started doing annual sweeps each year to clear out the bodies.

If what Yasuhara had told her was right and they had never found the body of Tonomori Youta and Naru's vision was accurate, the body should still be located in the forest. Hopefully…

Mai's mind would not stop racing. She wished she could just go to sleep or at least stop thinking about what they were about to (literally) walk into, but all these thoughts kept her eyes wide and alert.

"Are you going to be okay?"

It took Mai a second to realize that Naru had been talking to her. Shocked that he actually cared, Mai blushed and tucked an out of place hair behind her ear. "W-What do you mean? I'm always fine, aren't I?"

Naru looked down at her skeptically before crossing his arms. "Only because there's always someone to get you out of trouble."

She smiled. "Well it's good that I have you and Lin, right?"

Lin snorted silently.

The brunette's cheeks became even more flushed before she turned towards the Chinese man and laughed, "What was that supposed to mean?!"

Lin covered his mouth to muffle a genuine laugh.

Mai smiled, enjoying the moment. She and Lin had grown closer over the years, despite how much the onmyouji liked to negate the fact. There was a little unspoken joke between them in which he claimed not to worry for her, but did, in fact, more than he would ever care to admit. Although she was convinced it was because she reminded him of Gene, even that was enough for her at the moment.

Naru interrupted her thoughts, with his sharp, serious voice. "I just want you to be sure you know what you're getting yourself into. You're very…"

Mai looked at him in confusion. "I'm very what?"

"You're more…delicate than myself or Lin."

Although slightly offended by his words, Mai knew he was right. She looked determinedly at him as he continued.

"There is a good chance that we will come into contact with dead bodies. They might be fresh, or they might be weeks old and decomposed. Are you ready to face that?"

The brunette had to take a deep breath before nodding. "I am."

Naru looked at her hard, before moving his gaze outside. They had finally left the city behind, fresh green countryside fields greeting them as they moved further and further from civilization. "Okay."

Before she knew it, Mai had fallen asleep. She was jolted awake as Lin's door slammed shut. She looked in Naru's direction to see him waiting for her to exit the van. After they closed and locked the vehicle, the three of them stood in front of the infamous forest, letting what they were about to do finally sink in.

Unfortunately, it was more than halfway into the year and one of the hottest summers Japan had witnessed. Mai did _not _want to think about how many decaying bodies had piled up in the forest.

Naru turned to her, his expression dead serious. "The rich deposits of magnetic iron in the soil here will render our cell phones useless. We'll have to stick together, so no wandering off no matter what."

Mai nodded, trying to ignore the shivers running up and down her spine. Naru handed her and Lin both flash lights with new batteries. Apparently there were places in the forest shrouded in complete darkness even at high noon, which was long past. Mai's watch told her it was nearly four in the afternoon, but none of them new how long it would take to find what they were looking for or if they would even find it at all.

It took all Mai had in her not to turn around and run for the hills as they entered the intimidating forest. It was like they had stepped out of reality and into some tripped out, horror story version of Alice In Wonderland. True to what they had read online, the canopy of towering trees blocked out the sun expertly, giving the illusion of nightfall.

Mai stopped momentarily to read one of the signs along the pathway. "'Please consult the police before you decide to die.' Oh god, I have a feeling I'm going to regret this," she said warily.

"Stay close," Naru, who along with Lin was already far ahead of her, said as he turned to shoot her a warning glare.

After only a few minutes of walking in complete (and awkward) silence, Mai was starting to see things. The gnarled trees that lined up against the edge of the path began to take the shape of people, reaching out for her. The dangerous roots that jutted from the ground changing into pasty, white hands, ready to grab her as she passed.

The thing that seemed to creep Mai out the most was the noise, or lack there of. There were no sounds of life, excluding the echoes of their own breathing. No squirrels jumping from tree to tree. No foxes scavenging for food. No birds chirping.

There was no life in this forest except for them.

Mai preoccupied herself by looking discontentedly at her surroundings, making sure nothing was really out to get her. Without realizing that they had stopped, she walked straight into Naru's broad back. "Huh?"

Just passed her employer, the path split in two different directions. Mai swallowed loudly, "Do we…split up?"

"It's a bad idea," Naru said bluntly.

"But what if we go the wrong way?"

Lin took a step forward. "I'll take one path, you and Mai can take the other."

"You don't even know what we're looking for," Naru said sharply.

'_The shoe…He's right, only he and I have seen it. And if we're looking for the matching shoe then there needs to be someone on each path that could recognize what it looks like.'_ Mai thought as she listened to her boss and co-worker talk it over.

"–ere's no way I'm letting Mai go by herself. We'll all just go together."

Mai raised her hand sheepishly, silencing both of the men. "How about Lin and I go on one path since I know what to look for, and then Naru you could–"

"_No._" Naru's face darkened and he immediately shot down the suggestion before she was even finished presenting it.

Wincing at his response, Mai drew her hand to her chest protectively as if his words had burnt her. Either Naru was scared to go alone or had something against her and Lin going together on a separate path.

"We're going together," Naru decided haughtily, taking the path that veered right without so much as another word.

"What was that about?" Mai whispered, looked at Lin for answers only to see the onmyouji already smirking down at her with some sort of…knowing.

Realizing that Naru had gotten quite far without them, Lin shrugged, moving to follow him.

Mai groaned.

This was going be a long night.

* * *

><p>Mai looked at her electronic watch. It was currently seven o'clock on the dot. They had started using their flashlights by now. She was sure by now that the sun had set, or was setting as they spoke. Or didn't speak, really. Naru had been completely silent since the fork in the road incident and Lin merely gave her one word responses like usual.<p>

The silence wasn't the only thing Mai thought would drive her crazy. The further they walked into the forest, the more unusual stuff they saw. Ropes in the shapes of nooses weren't all that uncommon. There were also several books titled 'The Complete Suicide Manual' littered across the forest floor. At one point, Mai had spotted a pair of suspenders hanging from a tree branch.

That wasn't the worst part, though. The cruelest thing she'd seen so far was a wallet, withered and empty in the middle of the path. At first she'd found nothing wrong with it. Some people came spontaneously to commit suicide, she knew. It wasn't always a planned decision, so it was likely that many who came to the forest had wallets and important personal belongings with them.

It was when she bent down and shone her flashlight to investigate it that she realized something. What normal person would empty their wallet, put it back in their pocket, and then go commit suicide? Why not just leave it at home? Someone had looted a body and taken any jewelry or money they could find, leaving the wallet behind. Not just one body either. They probably looted anyone they could find.

The disturbing thought had bothered her even more than that of people actually coming to the forest to commit suicide, so much so that she became physically sick for a moment.

Lin turned around in concern when he no longer her light, feminine footsteps behind him. "Mai, are you alright?" He shone his flashlight in her direction, causing her to wince at the bright light.

Seconds later, before she could even respond, Naru was at her side. Steadying her with a hand on her back, he asked how she was doing. Lin would've laughed at how fast the narcissist had moved if they weren't all in such serious moods.

Mai shook her head regretfully, holding her hand against her stomach. "I'm not handling this as well as I thought I could."

Naru stared at her hard, whether it was in anger or frustration or something all together completely different, Mai couldn't tell. "It's too dark. We should head back."

Thinking his sudden decision might've been her fault, Mai stood up quickly, ignoring the dizziness she was feeling. "But we still haven't–"

He glared at her, holding her elbows before she could collapse. "You're obviously not well."

"I'm fine, really–!"

A childish giggle.

They stood in anxious silence. Mai gripped her employer's arms a little tighter. "Please tell me that was _your_ high pitch giggling."

He glared at her. "Mai."

Another giggle echoed around them.

Mai swallowed nervously. "Maybe we _should_ head back?" she suggested.

Naru smirked, despite the anxiety she was sure they were all feeling at the moment. "Are you finally taking someone else's advice?"

Blushing at his comment, she went to slap him playfully on the shoulder when her flashlight flickered off. "What the–? Naru, weren't these new batteries?"

Naru could feel Lin move closer to them in the darkness, as if sensing something was wrong. Shining his own light to the object in Mai's hands, the teenager new immediately that it wasn't the batteries that weren't working.

Lin's flashlight was next to be extinguished. "Mine's gone too, Naru."

Panic set in as his own light went out and Naru grabbed his assistant by the arm, bringing her nearer to him. "Mai, stay close."

"W-W-What are you doing?!" she inquired nervously, but made no move to remove his hand from her arm.

"Lin," he called, waiting for a response in the darkness.

"Right here," the onmyouji said from where he was standing.

Mai couldn't help but shiver in the intimidating darkness that surrounded them, tapping the dead flashlight against her hand in hopes that it might once again flicker to life. "What are we going to do now?"

"I think it's about time to call it a night," Naru said, accompanied by a exasperated sigh.

"How do you suggest we get out?" Lin inquired.

One of the hands on Mai's arms disappeared and seconds later a phone screen was blinding her. The brunette quickly shielded her eyes from the brightness. "Although our phones may not have signal here, they can still work. We can use them to light the way back. I suggest we use one at a time so that we don't deplete them all at once."

Mai grinned at him as he let go of her and began walking. "Aren't you glad we convinced you to get a cell phone?"

"Hn." Naru simply ignored her.

The snap of twigs to her right distracted the brunette from coming up with a smart retort in response to his silence. She stopped walking momentarily, looking out into the darkness and willing her eyes to adjust. "Naru, Lin, did you hear that?"

No answer.

"Come on, Lin, don't start ignoring me too. I'm serious, I heard something!"

Still no reply.

Looking in the direction they had been walking, Mai searched for a phone light. Why couldn't she see them? She blamed Naru and Lin for wearing black all the time. "You guys?" her voice was weaker this time. She was scared they had left her, but they couldn't have gone too far, could they? It had been only a minute – no, seconds!

"_Come this way!_" She heard being whispered into her ear from behind. It was the same voice that had been giggling earlier.

Mai whipped around violently. Throwing her arm out as if to hit the person behind her, she was surprised when her arm met with thin air. "Hello? Who's there?!"

Another giggle was all the response she received.

Unsure of what else she could do, Mai crouched down into the fetal position and closed her eyes tightly. "Naru, come back!"

For a moment she thought she might've lost her hearing, it was so silent.

A hand patted her head gently. At first she had considered it being Naru's, but realized it was much too small to be a man's hand, or even an adult woman's.

A solemn looking Youta was the (slightly more comforting than what she was expecting) sight that greeted Mai upon raising her head. "_I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I was trying to help._"

"Youta!" Tears of relief filled the brunette's eyes. She almost reached out to embrace the small boy before realizing that he was incorporeal.

"_I told you to call me You-kun remember?_"

Mai was surprised by the smile he managed to elicit from her. "You-kun, what do you mean by trying to help?"

"_My body – I can show you where it is!_" he answered with a smile.

Looking in the direction she thought Naru and Lin had disappeared to, Mai pondered if she should move from her spot. When you get lost, aren't you supposed to stay where you are until someone comes to find you? Although Mai was worried they would turn around and be unable to find her, she had a chance and she was going to take it.

She returned Youta's smile. "Lead the way."

* * *

><p>Mai was panting heavily. Thankfully her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and she had been able to find a tree to lean against while she caught her breath. "You-kun, I can't take this for much longer."<p>

"_Kill joy_," the spirit said playfully as he tapped her on the arm. "_Tag, you're 'it'!_"

She huffed, wiping off the sweat from her forehead despite the chilly air. "You've got to be kidding me." Mai slumped further against the tree.

"_Oh, come on!_" Youta pouted, tugging at her shirt. "_We're almost there, I promise!_"

"You said that like, _ten_ minutes ago!" The brunette argued, crossing her arms and standing up a bit straighter to show some authority.

"_We've only been playing for five minutes_," the child countered, mimicking her stance. Mai launched herself off the tree in pursuit of the spirit child, reaching out and missing. He dodged her effortlessly, laughing.

Already on her feet, Mai decided to continue the chase. His ghostly agility proved a formidable skill.

Their harmless game of tag changed, however, when Mai felt the ground disappear from beneath her. She shrieked as she dropped a good ten feet, her back sliding against the forest mulch as she dropped into the hole.

"_Mai!_" Youta's concerned voice echoed throughout the cavern in a ghostly whisper. His small hands found her cheeks, illuminating her pained expression in the darkness. "_Are you okay?_"

Due to the air being knocked out of her lungs upon impact, the only noise that managed to escape was a pained squeak. It took her a moment of deep breathing to finally be able to answer. "I'm fine. I'm okay."

"_I'm sorry, I forgot you can't float_," the child apologized sheepishly.

Mai managed to glare incredulously at him.

"_I apologized!_" he exclaimed.

"I know, I forgive you." Mai sighed and sat up, leaning against the steep incline she had just fallen down. "Now, how are we going to get out?"

"_You mean how are_ you_ going to get out? I can very easily do that whenever I want._"

Mai gave him a scolding look, the way a mother would to her son. "You better help me get out of here!"

Without an answer, Youta simply floated to the top of the cave Mai was now trapped in, disappearing into thin air.

Half of Mai was convinced she'd be trapped forever – that Naru and Lin would send out a search team and they would never find her and she would rot away without food or water. Another part of her was convinced Youta was somehow being helpful in his own way.

When she heard Naru's voice in the distance, she knew it was the latter. "Naru!" Mai called desperately, standing up as if to make her voice project further.

"…Mai? Is that you?"

"Naru!" she called again, close to tears, "I'm stuck!"

"Mai!" Suddenly, there was a flashlight being shone in her face. "Are you okay? I'll be down in a minute," she heard Naru say, turning to (who Mai assumed was) Lin before leaving her sight.

A hand wriggled into her own and she looked down to see Youta smiling up at her. "_You finally found me. After all these years, you're the first person._"

Mai frowned. As far as she knew, they still hadn't found his body. Unless she had unknowingly fallen on top of it…Looking down at the ground she was standing on in horror, the brunette jumped back. "Oh my god!"

Youta laughed. "_No, silly!_" He pointed upwards.

Now she was really puzzled. What on earth was he talking about? His hand faded from hers before she could ask him.

The next thing she knew, Naru was jumping into the hole she had managed to fall into. "Mai," he started exasperatedly, shining his flashlight on her mangled appearance. Her shirt was nearly ripped in half in the back, and her shorts looked worse for wear. Both of her knees were caked in blood as well as her elbows, and her hair (worst of all) was a disaster. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"It's a long story, believe me. How'd you get the flashlights to work again?"

"As soon as we realized you had disappeared, they just flickered on."

"Naru," Lin called from above them, dropping a rope into the cavern.

The dark haired teenager tugged on the rope, testing its sturdiness several times before turning to his injured assistant. "Get on my back."

"I-I can climb myself!" The brunette female objected.

Naru was not in the mood for an argument, however. "Let me rephrase this then: Get on my back or I'll dock your pay for a month."

Mai finally relented, taking the flashlight from her boss before climbing onto his back. She could feel his muscles strain from her weight coupled with his own as he scaled the wall.

"Where'd you guys get the rope from?"

"Do you really want to know?" Naru inquired through clenched teeth.

She knew for a fact that they hadn't brought any rope with them and the only material of the sort in the area were from those nooses that littered the trees. She cringed at the thought and simply kept to herself as Naru climbed.

Shining Naru's flashlight upwards in an attempt to light the way for him, Mai caught sight of an item hanging from a nearby tree branch. A familiar looking shoe; a right one, to be exact.

* * *

><p>"He was hidden away in the hollow of a nearby tree. It was really sad, but afterwards when I was sleeping in the car on the way home I saw him and his mother. They both thanked me and were able to move on, so that was good," Mai spoke softly. "I'm just glad everything ended up okay, you know? Asahi-kun and his uncle were happy too. I was surprised that they accepted everything so quickly."<p>

There was no response from the unconscious man lying in front of her. The monitor next to her beeped comfortingly, reassuring Mai that the man was still breathing no matter how deathly pale he looked.

"It was kind of hard to explain to the police how we found the bones, though. And then they were really suspicious as to why we were looking for them in the first place. I think Naru had to tell them his real identity."

The clatter of a rolling cart bustled down the hallway, distracting the brunette momentarily.

"Speaking of Naru, I'm still unsure of how he feels about me. Nothing much has changed since the last time we talked about it, but I just thought I should update you," she laughed at herself.

Gazing at the fresh red roses on the old man's bedside table, Mai sighed. "You have a good wife. Even though she can't stay long because she has work, she still comes every day to talk to you. I want something like that too. Do you think I ever will?"

No response, as usual. Of course she didn't deserve something like that, what was she thinking?

Looking into her lap, Mai sighed.

"He…"

The voice was raspy.

"He'll…come around…in time."

Mai gasped, realizing that the old man was conscious. "Oji-san! You're awake! Let me call the nurse." She pushed the button on the side of his hospital bed.

"But you…you tell that boy…that you won't wait around for him!" the taxi driver said affectionately, patting her hand much like a grandfather would to his grandchildren.

"Okay, I'll definitely tell him," Mai laughed, overcome with joy. She never would've thought the man would've woken up from his coma so soon. "How are you feeling? You've been in a coma for a little over a week."

The man groaned, arching his back slightly against the uncomfortable cot he was lying on. "No wonder I feel like I've been hit by a truck!"

"Well, that did kind of happen, too," Mai confirmed, her smile sympathetic. She had experienced the same soreness after the accident as well, although probably not to the same degree.

"So no progress with this 'Naru' of yours?" the man asked, a sly grin across his face.

Mai blushed. "Of course that would be the only thing you heard!"

"Oh, not the only thing," he said with a shake of his head.

The brunette raised her eyebrows. How much had he heard? There was a myth that people in comas were able to hear everything going on around them during their dream-like state. She wondered if it was actually true. "You heard everything?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "and I must say, you have some strange adventures."

Mai laughed nervously, not sure whether he thought she was full of crap or actually believed her. "I guess you could say it comes with the job?"

"I see," the old man laughed.

The nurse entered the room with a smile on her face. "Moroboshi-san, you're finally awake! My name is Nobuyama Eri, and I'm your nurse. I'll just need to take a few vitals and…"

Mai drowned out the nurses high pitch voice, looking out the window. For some reason she had this sudden urge to see Naru…Before she knew it, the nurse was gone and the old man was speaking to her again.

"Now you go on, and you tell that boy of yours what I told you!"

"At least let me stay until your wife comes! I'm sure she'll take off of work as soon as they call her with the news," Mai insisted.

"No need to worry over an old crony like me. I know that look in your eyes – you want to see him!" the taxi driver laughed good-naturedly.

She smiled at him before grabbing her purse and standing. "I'll tell him."

* * *

><p>"Naru," Mai called, entering the office. It was her day off, but for some reason she couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to be near her employer. Setting down her purse on her desk, the brunette decided to make some tea before her boss told her to leave and stop bothering him.<p>

"I can barely get you to come to the office when you _do_ have work."

Jumping at the voice (she had been doing that a lot since their trip to Aokigahara forest), Mai regained her composure and turned around with a smile. "I came to tell you the good news!"

Naru raised an eyebrow. "Good news? Don't tell me you're pregnant."

"Naru!" Mai exclaimed, a hot blush dusting her cheeks. She was shocked to see the dark haired teenager actually start laughing at her embarrassment. So Naru could actually joke around with people? Who knew!

Coughing, as if to reclaim his attention, Mai couldn't help but smile. "The taxi driver that got in the car accident with me, Moroboshi-san, woke up from his coma! Isn't that great?"

"Fortunate for him considering how bad the damage was," Naru nodded, taking his cup of tea off of the counter and taking a tentative sip before stirring some lemon in.

"Yeah," Mai said quietly, checking her phone when she felt it vibrate. She smiled at the name. Asahi had given her his number, saying if they ever needed an extra hand on a case that they should call him. Naru didn't seem to like him for some reason, though, so it was unlikely to ever happen.

She had texted him earlier about the taxi driver waking up from his coma and had just gotten his reply filled with loads of smiley faces and exclamation marks. The brunette went to reply to the text, only to have her phone snatched out of her hand.

When Naru glanced at the name he scoffed. "Let me delete him from your contacts."

She frowned at him, reaching for the device. "Naru! Give it back!"

"No."

"Naru!"

* * *

><p>So I thought that ended well, right? The whole Gene situation will be discussed at the beginning of the next case as well, so don't fret for those of you who are still wondering about it! Damn this was a long chapter lol.<p> 


	31. File 7: Snow Joke :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 7: Snow Joke

* * *

><p>Mai folded her skirt underneath her legs before she sat on the couch next to Naru, holding the tea tray to her chest as she listened to the potential client speak. "–I apologize for earlier. I never would've known that you were the director of SPR by how young you look! How old did you say you were?"<p>

Mai would've scoffed had she not known what a bad mood Naru had been in lately.

"I didn't," Naru stated icily, not bothering to answer her. "You said you had a case to discuss?" He was becoming rather impatient with the woman's incessant rambling. Although Mai had a similar habit, it seemed much more tolerable coming from his assistant than this woman.

"Yes, of course!" Miyamoto Honoka set her teacup on its saucer before smiling, obviously not sensing his annoyance. "You see, I was very skeptical in coming here at first. You can never trust people who claim to be psychics; the whole business is very shady, after all."

Mai could almost feel her employer's frustration as if it rolled off of him in waves. The brunette took this opportunity to lighten the tension in the room, although she knew her words would somehow come back to get her. "Many people who come here are very skeptical, though I assure you my boss is very capable."

Naru could feel his heart skip a beat at the compliment, but calmed himself with the notion that it was just to get their potential client to shut up. "On that note, can you please describe some of the activity that you've been experiencing?"

Miyamoto nodded enthusiastically, leaning forward in her seat as if she were about to share the secret of the universe. "My husband, you see, runs a ski lodge up in Hakuba Village in Nagano. Lately, there have been some strange going-ons, of course, otherwise I wouldn't be here right now. Actually, my husband thinks ghosts and what not are all bogus, he even _warned_ me not to come–"

"Miyamoto-san," Naru reminded impatiently.

"Right, anyway, there have been several…unfortunate incidents." The older woman paused, as if wondering should she continue. "Many of our clients will lose phone signal and Internet despite the fact that we have excellent connection."

Unfortunate incident? Mai wanted to roll her eyes.

"With all due respect, Miyamoto-san," Naru sighed, calling her out, "don't you think it should be normal to lose Internet and phone signal in a mountainous area, regardless whether or not you have good connection?"

"But every time we look at the wires, they've been severed!" Miyamoto claimed, frustrated.

"It seems you've got an troublesome animal on your hands," Naru concluded, closing his notebook.

But the woman persisted. "They were all clean, Shibuya-san. The wires were cut, not chewed."

Mai looked back and forth from her employer to their potential client and then over to Lin who was focusing intently on the keys of his laptop. Why did appointments always turn so awkward like this?

Seeing that she was unwilling to relent any time soon, Naru re-opened his notebook and clicked his pen with an irritated sigh, motioning for her to continue.

Taking his queue gratefully, she went on, "At first we thought it was just a few foolish kids playing pranks, but things started escalating – quickly. None of our lodgings have ever had problems with their locks, yet we've had multiple complaints about people getting locked in _and_ out of their cabins. We've even had to bust open a few doors since then. We've never had a problem with this until now…"

"I apologize Miyamoto-san, for your 'unfortunate events.' I suggest you change your locks and acquire some security cameras as to put a stop to those pranksters. Good day." Naru stood from the lobby couch without hesitation, his notebook snapping shut in finality.

The middle-aged woman suddenly adopted a look of desperation, following Naru to his office door. Mai almost felt sorry for her–

"There's more Shibuya-san! The food we have stocked in the cabins in case of emergencies continuously goes missing; the firewood, too! The electricity has stopped working!"

And when Naru continued to show disinterest…

"People have _died_!"

Mai's eyebrows met her hairline in shock. Naru turned back around with a frown. Lin's typing paused momentarily.

Miyamoto took a shaky breath before continuing, "Some have been found dead from suffocation after being locked in their cabin somehow…and others have gone missing. Please, this can't go on anymore…!"

Well, she should've said so in the first place.

"We'll take it."

* * *

><p>"Sounds more like a serial killer than a spirit," Masako stated bluntly once Mai had filled her in on what Miyamoto had told them was going on. The medium sat comfortably in the backseat of SPR's van, dressed in a warm caramel colored kimono, next to a shivering Mai.<p>

Too busy eyeing Masako's warm looking attire, Mai missed the girl's response to her explanation. "Lin, can we turn the heater on high?" she inquired for the third time in the past hour.

If she had been facing Naru, she probably would've seen him roll his eyes. "I shouldn't have overestimated your thinking abilities."

"What was that?" Mai shot a glare at her employer. Maybe, if she were lucky enough, she could burn a hole in the back of his head.

"We're going on a case to a ski lodge in the middle of November and you neglected to bring a jacket with you," Naru said condescendingly, shuffling papers in his hands.

"There was supposed to be a warm front this week, I'll have you know!"

"Huh…yet it's forty degrees outside," was his painfully nonchalant observation.

"I know, and I'm _cold_!"

Mai was shocked as a black jacket flew into the backseat, landing over her head and encompassing her in warmth. It smelled of Earl Grey tea, she noticed with a smile (accompanied by a hot blush). The brunette didn't waste a moment, unbuckling her seatbelt and pulling her arms through the overly long sleeves, relishing in the comfort they provided. "Thanks, Naru!"

Noticeably, Masako made no statement on the matter.

Lin couldn't help but smile. Things were _finally_ moving forward for the couple, or so he hoped.

"Well, I have an extra jacket," Naru said, "plus you won't shut up."

"Can't you just take my thank you? Jerk!"

"Why don't I just take back that jacket instead?"

"But–!"

That's okay, Lin told himself, only another four hours of driving.

* * *

><p>Still bundled comfortably in her employer's jacket, Mai hopped out of the van first, greeting their host with a warm smile. "Miyamoto-san!"<p>

"Good to see you again, Taniyama-san," the middle-aged woman gave the brunette's hand a firm shake. "I trust the ride here was tiring. You and your team should rest a day before getting to work."

"Oh, I don't think that would sit well with–"

"Mai!" Naru called from behind. She turned around in just enough time to catch the box of monitors Naru was dropping into her arms. "Get to work setting these up. Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san should be here by sunset tonight. I want to have everything ready by the time the get here."

"Yessir." Mai turned and gave Miyamoto a tight-lipped smile before whispering, "See what I mean?"

She could almost feel the hot gaze on the back of her head. "Now, Mai."

Mai hastily got to work before her employer could say anything else (or before she could give him a piece of her mind). By eight in the afternoon she had managed to set up all of the monitors, cameras, do a sweep of the entire cabin with Masako, as well as take temperature readings in all rooms.

The brunette was surprise at how fast she had managed to set everything up own her own. Well, technically it wasn't all on her own since Naru insisted on being with her to set up the cameras – claiming that she always messed up the angles, when he was really just concerned with the prospect of Mai dropping his equipment.

No activity so far, Mai logged mentally, handing out the first batch of tea for the night. Neither she nor Masako had sensed anything during their walk through of the cabin either. Maybe the medium was right about her serial killer suggestion? The idea made Mai shiver.

"Cold?" Masako inquired, looking up from her nicely filed nails.

"No," Mai said almost too quickly, noticing she was still wearing Naru's jacket from earlier. She hadn't taken it off all day. "I was just entertaining your serial killer scenario in my mind."

"You know I wasn't being serious, right Mai?"

"Of course I know!" the brunette's face flushed. "But there's no reason to rule it out. Besides, neither of us felt any spiritual presence during the walk through today and all of the evidence Miyamoto gave us sounded sketchy anyway."

"Rest assured, Mai, I doubt it's a serial killer," Naru said, sipping at his tea while looking over Lin's shoulder at something on the computer.

Mai glared at him, cursing his lack of support. "You're the one always telling me not to rule something out just because it's im…implo…"

"I believe the word you're looking for is improbable," the narcissist corrected, a haughty smirk gracing his lips.

The brunette fell onto the couch, too tired to even drink her own tea (which she had been looking forward to all evening). How was it that he, who had lived in an American orphanage and later on England for the majority of his life, was able to speak better Japanese than herself? "Naru, you are in…inc…"

"Incredible?" the narcissist joked.

Mai managed to send him a glare, murmuring her last word before dozing off. "Incorrigible…"

* * *

><p>"And then he said–"<p>

"Houshou," Ayako sleepily interrupted the monk mid-sentence, "don't you think we should pull over for the night? It's getting dark."

"It's only another hour until we get there, Ayako. Besides, Naru is expecting us tonight and we're already late," he said, grinning over to his tired girlfriend. "Why don't you just take a nap until we get there? I'm sure there's a blanket somewhere in the back seat if you're cold…"

"No, I'm fine. But don't you dare fall asleep at the wheel, Houshou," she commanded blearily, her hand landing on his own which was resting on the car's clutch.

"I drank two 16 oz. coffees, I think I'll be fine," Bou-san laughed, concentrating on the winding road and his speed limit. "I do have to pee, though…"

"Hm," the red head mumbled in her sleep, shifting into a more comfortable position against the outdated car seat.

Not a moment later, however, did snow begin to lightly pelt his trusty 1991 Subaru model. "What the hell?" he inquired towards the dark sky as he flicked on his windshield wipers.

No, he shouldn't have been surprised. It was certainly possible for it to start snowing as early as November in Japan, especially in areas like Hakuba. He just thought it was strange that the weather forecast had mentioned a warm front starting today. Then again, Mother Nature was unpredictable.

Minutes into the snowfall, it began to get bad. Not even the highest function on the windshield wipers was enough to keep the snow off of his windows. And as if to make matters worse, the car began to sputter and died, forcing the monk to pull onto the shoulder with his hazards on.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," he said with a frustrated groan, although he was careful not to wake his peacefully slumbering girlfriend. Ayako had recently been nagging him to get a new car, and this incident would only fuel her argument. Not only that, but she would certainly be pissed to wake up in a snowed-in car, stuck in the middle of god knows where when she had suggested that they pull over earlier.

He hopped out of the car, opening the hood and checking the oil and transmission fluid. He wasn't exactly a genius when it came to cars, but he knew the basics and he couldn't seem to find what had gone wrong. Maybe his baby had just gotten too old and couldn't handle the roads anymore?

Bou-san looked under the hood for another good minute before bad shivers began to take hold. It seemed he would have to call Lin to come pick them up. After jumping back into the car and starting up the heater, the monk checked his phone only to find that he had no service at all. "Dammit," he cursed under his breath.

"What's wrong?" Ayako suddenly asked, rousing from her short nap. "Why aren't we moving? Did you decide to pull over like I told you to? Is that…is that _snow_?"

Bou-san sighed. "Bad news; the car broke down so I had to pull over. More bad news: it's starting to snow really bad outside."

The red head rubbed her eyes and stretched, sitting more upright in the passenger seat. More alert than she had been before, Ayako touched the window to test the temperature. "Wow, is that really snow?"

"Your old age must be affecting your hearing, woman."

Ayako sent him a menacing glare. "For your information, the weather report was clear today. There was also supposed to be some sort of warm front coming in. To think it's actually snowing…"

Bou-san had been thinking the same thing himself. Biting his nail nervously, the monk leaned back in the driver's seat. They had no way to jump the car, and there was certainly no chance that either of them could stand outside and wait for someone to pass by on the deserted road without contracting hypothermia. Ayako would never walk all the way to wherever the nearest service station was, meanwhile, the snow was refusing to relent.

Their only hope was to stay put where they were. Bou-san unwillingly cut off the engine to conserve energy (thank god he had just stopped to get gas! That should keep them safe for a while). Grabbing the blankets he had unceremoniously piled in the backseat, he threw a few to his unsatisfied looking girlfriend. "Bundle up, honey. It's going to be a cold night."

* * *

><p><em>It was cold…so cold.<em>

_Mai sniffed, but was unable to wipe away at the stinging tears. Now that she thought about it, her whole body was immobile and unfeeling – except for her broken leg. It was getting harder to breath. She probably wouldn't last much longer._

_He did this to her. He left her._

_But…who had left her again? Where was she anyway? Why was it so cold and why couldn't she move? _

_Fear, anger, and sadness came in waves, crashing into her all at once. She wished she had never left the cabin that morning. She hadn't been feeling good in the first place. Why had she left? This was so dumb._

_She wasn't going to survive. There was no way she could with this damned leg. No one would ever find her._

_Minutes, hours, days passed it seemed. Eventually she stopped shivering and her body relaxed, letting the hypothermia do its job._

_This was…the end._

* * *

><p>Mai gasped for air upon awakening, her eyes immediately focusing on the man at the end of the couch she was bundled up on (with a blanket? Since when had that gotten there?). He was a thin man and very weary looking, with a fair amount of unshaved stubble on his chin. He was someone Mai had never seen before.<p>

He looked at her with a smile, but the emotion was absent from his eyes.

Why was he here? Surely he wasn't someone that Naru knew? Maybe he was Miyamoto-san's husband?

She winced as pain suddenly shot through her leg.

Her second gasp had gained the attention of her boss across the room. "Mai?"

In an attempt to sit up, Mai realized her body was still paralyzed. When she went to answer him, it occurred to her that her vocal chords were also compromised. She was unsure of how to proceed, unable to answer Naru's question or ask for help.

"Mai? Did you have a dream?" Naru said, suspicion lacing his voice when she didn't answer. He walked over to her, a scowl on his lips.

The brunette wished she could make a face back at him (after all, its not like she could help the situation), but her eyes unwillingly stayed wide and her mouth remained without words.

Strangely enough, Naru seemed not to acknowledge the man at the end of the couch as he approached. Either that, or he knew the man was there and had nothing to say to him.

After observing her for a moment, much to her embarrassment, Naru's eyes flashed with recognition and he appeared to realize something about her state. He looked over at Lin. "It looks like sleep paralysis. She must've just woken up from one of _those_ dreams."

What on earth was sleep paralysis? How long did it last? What was going to happen to her? No, she just needed to stay calm. If Naru wasn't getting upset over it, then it probably wasn't something detrimental to her health or anything…right?

She watched as Naru traveled across the room and began to dig into the first-aid kit, retrieving a bottle of Tylenol.

_Thank god, because this headache and the pain in my knee is getting unbearable…_

At that moment, Mai looked at the sad smiling man just in time to see him reach for her aching leg. Coincidentally, the moment the stranger's fingers touched her leg, the spell was broken.

Although the pain was still there, the man had disappeared into thin air. Was he a spirit? If so, why hadn't she and Masako sensed him earlier? What on earth was going on?

Taking a deep breath, Mai finally sat up, being careful not to move her leg too much. "What _was_ that? And who was that guy?"

Naru stared at her for a moment before eventually handing over the medicine and a bottle of water. "How are you feeling?" he questioned, ignoring her own inquiries.

"My leg is killing me and I have the _worst _headache…" Mai said exasperatedly. "But you never answered my questions! What on earth just happened? And why was there a guy standing at the end of the couch watching me sleep?"

Masako entered the base with a tray of tea. "It seems that you're finally awake. I would've made more tea had I known."

"It seems you've just suffered a bout of sleep paralysis, Mai," Naru stated, taking his saucer from Masako's delicate hands. Instead of drinking it, however, the stoic man handed it to his assistant.

If Masako saw the exchange, she didn't complain. "Sleep paralysis is usually connected with other sleep disorders, though Mai seems not to show symptoms of any. Do you think it might've been induced by something?" The medium suggested.

"It's not impossible, I'm sure," Naru mumbled, contemplative.

"Sleep paralysis this, sleep paralysis that. What is sleep paralysis!?" Mai exclaimed, unable to follow the conversation they were having. She took the tea gratefully, taking a tentative sip.

"For your sake, I'll explain," Naru said with a roll of his eyes. "During REM sleep, we experience dreams while our bodies are in a state of complete muscle atonia or muscle weakness. Sleep paralysis is due to abruptly waking up during REM sleep when are bodies are still immobile. It is often accompanied by terrifying visions. You mentioned seeing a man at the foot of the couch…?"

Mai took a moment, letting the words sink in. "Well, he wasn't _terrifying_ per say…I got more of a sad feeling from him. I thought he was an actual person, but when he touched my hurt leg he disappeared."

"Interesting," Naru spoke to himself.

"And I had a dream about him too, I think…" the brunette quietly added as an after thought.

"About the man you saw?" Masako inquired.

"At least I think," she defended, "I was really cold and I couldn't move, like I was trapped in a really compressed space or something. Come to think of it, it might've been snow. Maybe he got caught in an avalanche? I remember thinking how I regretted leaving the cabin and that I hadn't been feeling well that morning anyway. And then I got really upset and angry with someone. I felt like…they had betrayed me somehow. And then my breathing started to slow down and I was so scared…" She placed a hand on her chest, remembering how she had gasped for air upon her awakening.

"The man whom you saw after waking up, you feel like it was _his_ dying moments you were experiencing?" Naru inquired, suddenly writing down everything in his little notebook. When had that even been in his hands?

"Yeah," she said awkwardly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under her employer's gaze.

"What makes you think this?"

"I don't know exactly?"

"These are your instincts talking again?" Mai could almost taste the condescension he was radiating.

"It just felt like him, you know? His presence, or something," the brunette reminisced, trying to pinpoint the reason why exactly she associated the man from her vision and her first hand experience in the dream.

Almost as if sensing the young woman's discomfort, Masako helped her up from the couch. "Badgering her on the subject will do you more harm than good, Naru. Besides it's almost midnight and time for Mai to go to bed. We can barely get her up when she goes to sleep at a _reasonable_ time."

Mai followed the medium with a nervous laugh until they were out of the base. Feet padding along the cold wood hallways, the two girls made their way to the room that had been designated for their use. It's a good thing Ayako hadn't gotten there yet, or Mai would be sleeping on the floors again.

Speaking of which, where on earth were Ayako and Bou-san? They were supposed to have arrived around an hour ago according to what Masako said about it nearing midnight. Mai was too groggy to let the subject occupy her mind for too long.

The brunette settled on snuggling into the covers of her (for once) own, comfortable bed.

She watched as Masako gathered her nightclothes and made her way to the bathroom. "Masako?" she called, her voice so quiet she wondered if the medium even heard her. The doll-like girl, however, stopped in the threshold of the attached restroom.

"Yes, Mai?"

"I was just wondering," Mai said hesitantly, blushing. "Is everything alright?"

The medium raised a perfect eyebrow in the other girl's direction. "Although I have no clue why you're worrying about me, I assure you I'm fine."

Clearly flustered, Mai hid under her sheets. "I meant…what I meant was…is there anything, you know, about you and Naru–"

She was interrupted by a laugh. The brunette didn't even recognize the loud, melodic voice until she pulled the sheets down only to realize that it was the prideful medium herself leaning up against the doorframe near tears.

"What?" Mai exclaimed, offended.

"I guess I never told you," Masako said, coming to sit on the brunette's bed after she had recovered. "It was foolish of me to have ever thought I had a chance with him. I've given up – or more like, I'm giving him up to you."

"What?! How could you say that about yourself, Masako! You're talented, beautiful, smart, and – and…"

"And _not_ for Naru. He favors you over any other, Mai," Masako smiled, albeit a bit sadly.

"Although that's completely inaccurate, what made you give up so suddenly?" Mai suddenly inquired, curiosity getting the better of her. Her question caught the medium off-guard, allowing a red-hot blush to cross her cheeks.

"Its not like there was anything in particular – I mean, there's nothing…" Masako stuttered for what was probably the first time in which they had known each other.

Sensing a big, fat lie, Mai sat up in anticipation, fully alert. "No way. Masako, are you crushing on a different guy?"

"_Crushing?_" The medium's blush worsened, proving Mai's assumption correct.

"Oh my god, who is it?!" Mai exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Masako in order to keep the girl from escaping.

"I never said anything!" the doll-like medium exclaimed, attempting to break from her friend's hold.

"You can't fool me, I know about stuff like this," Mai countered.

"And yet you don't even realize that Naru like you? Please."

"T-That is pure assumption! You have no solid evidence."

"How about the fact that Naru drinks only your tea and no one else's? What about how he bent a spoon for you, using his powers when he knew he'd be sent to the hospital afterwards? What about our first case when he made you work to pay back the camera that you broke regardless that it was insured? Or that he called you and offered you a job afterwards?"

Mai remained a speechless, blushing mess and Masako smirked, finally breaking from the brunette's iron grip with a haughty smirk. She retreated to the bathroom without another word before Mai regained her awareness.

"Wait, you never told me his name!"

How did she always do that?

* * *

><p>It was three in the morning when Mai awoke from a dreamless sleep to the sound of footsteps out in the quiet hallway. Sitting up and checking to make sure Masako was still in her own bed, Mai slunk silently out into the hallway, curiosity getting the best of her as usual.<p>

Lin's approaching silhouette nearly made her jump out of her pajama shorts. "Lin-san, what's going on?"

The onmyouji sighed. "Takigawa-san and Matsuzaki-san have yet to arrive. We've tried to call, but both of their cell phones are out of service. I'm going out to search for them. They might've gotten caught in the storm–"

Mai shivered suddenly, regardless of still wearing Naru's jacket (which she had accidentally fallen asleep in earlier). "What storm? It was completely clear earlier and the forecast even said–"

"Despite what the forecast said, it's snowing harder than I've ever seen. We think Takigawa-san might've pulled over somewhere."

"But then won't it be dangerous if you go out, Lin-san?!" Mai inquired worriedly, suddenly aware of the danger that Bou-san and Ayako were probably in.

"Your concern is touching," Lin said. Although he was turned away from her, Mai could hear the smile in his voice.

"But Lin!" Mai protested, grabbing his arm before he stepped out onto the porch. Behind him, she could see the howling wind tossing the falling snow violently. The cold night air seeped through the open door, chilling Mai even as she huddled further into the jacket's warmth. "Can't you wait until daylight when it's easier to see? Surely they can wait until then, right?"

"Don't worry about me," he said, patting her head as he would a child. "Take care of Naru."

With that, he was already outside and had the door shut behind him. Mai was storming into the base seconds later.

"Naru, how could you let Lin leave in this weather?!" She inquired angrily.

With a haughty sigh, he looked up from his book in frustration. "Lin insisted. He's hoping that the snow hasn't covered the roads too much so that he can still see them. He probably won't be able to if he leaves in the morning."

"But–"

Naru piercing gaze stopped her mid-sentence. He looked Mai up and down, before making his way over to her. Suddenly feeling self-conscious with his attention on her, Mai took a contemplative step backwards. "What is it?"

Strangely content with the way his jacket fit her small figure, he ran his fingers along the collar of it. Mai shivered in anticipation.

Naru smirked. "Cold? My jacket isn't warm enough for you?"

The brunette backed further away from him, sure he was going to take the warm jacket away from her as he had threatened earlier in the car. "N-No, it's warm…"

"You know I was joking earlier, right?" Naru chuckled. "I won't take it away from you."

"O-Of course, I know that."

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Naru leaned closer. "Do you need me to lend you a blanket, too?"

Mai blushed red up to her ears. "I'm perfectly fine, thanks!"

Naru then pushed her out of the room and sent her down the hall. "Then get some sleep and stop worrying about Lin, he'll be fine. I'm waking you up at six tomorrow."

That bastard.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry it's been so long! College has beed sucking the life out of me (not to mention all of my time!) Anyway, I made sure to make this chapter super long for you guys. Hopefully my next update will come around Thanksgiving. If not, it'll be around Christmas. Don't hold your breath, though. Ugh<strong>


	32. File 7: Snow Joke :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 7: Snow Joke

* * *

><p>It wasn't Naru that woke Mai up the next morning, but the clattering of the window shutters against the harsh wind outside that jostled the brunette from her restful sleep. She groggily got out of bed, not even bothering to change out of her pajamas before she made her way to the base.<p>

She opened the door to find everything eerily quiet. Lin was surprisingly still absent, Mai noticed due to the lack of constant keyboard clicking. The monitors were all black and the hum of technology was non-existent. Naru sat across the room by the screens, reading over some papers with a scowl on his face.

He noticed her only seconds later, barely acknowledging her presence with a slight nod. What surprised Mai was that he hadn't even ordered her to fetch tea yet.

"I thought you were going to wake me up at six?"

Naru shrugged. "Unfortunately, I don't have a way to tell the time anymore."

That's right; Naru didn't wear watches. "You haven't checked your phone?"

Her boss glared at her through the dark, as if telling her to leave him alone. "Don't you think that's the first thing I tried to do? My phone died last night, even though it had a full charge."

"Eh? You could just charge it again?" Concerned, Mai shuffled over to where Naru was attempting to read over some papers in the dark. "Why don't you turn on the lights so you can see?"

"If you haven't noticed by now," he began condescendingly, "the power is out."

In fact, she hadn't. That would explain why he hadn't charged his phone, as well as why the monitors were void of life, unlike usual. It could also give reason to why Naru was in such a foul mood so early in the morning. "Have you tried calling the Miyamoto's with the cabin phone–?"

"I would have, except the phone lines have either been cut or snapped."

Mai was nearly about to scowl at him for cutting her off, but had more questions. "Well, have you gone to check the–"

"It seems that we're snowed in."

The cherry on top.

Mai was slack-jawed. "Where is Lin? Did he ever find Ayako and Bou-san?"

Naru spoke softer, but didn't falter. "Lin hasn't returned…there was no service to call him or the others earlier. Now we have no transportation or electricity."

"What?" The brunette took a moment to let it sink in.

Not only were they stuck in a cabin (a supposedly haunted cabin, at that) in the middle of an unpredicted snowstorm with limited supplies, but she was almost 99% sure that neither of them possessed any knowledge on 'snowstorm survival 101'. They were alone, with no technology, service, transportation, or heat…

She was alone with Naru (okay, _and_ Masako)…

Naru's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Mai, do you have a fever?" Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest when Naru turned his attention to her suddenly, noting her reddened face.

"What? No!" She felt her forehead with the back of her hand to appease him. "See, I'm fine!"

The narcissist looked at her with a deadpan expression, not giving away his thoughts. "Anyway, there is nothing we can do but wait until this storm is over."

Mai frowned at the statement made by her narcissist boss, unused to him simply relenting. He was right, though. It's not like they could do anything without Lin or Bou-san there…

Then again, that wasn't exactly true. Mai glanced nervously at her handsome employer once again. It had been one of their last cases before Naru had left Japan, the Cursed House case, where they had seen the scope of Naru's abilities first hand. And to find out that he was none other Oliver Davis just months later… Naru was the most capable of them all, and yet he was still restricted by his health.

"I know that I'm the best looking guy you know, but haven't you already stared enough, Mai?"

Mai audibly choked in surprise. She really had been staring at him! "What makes you think you're the best looking guy I know?" the brunette retorted poorly.

Naru simply turned back to the papers in his hand with a sigh. "Mai, you know I only answer intelligent questions."

Turning away from him with her mouth open in shock, Mai did all she could as she was leaving the room not to slam the door behind her.

"Mai, tea."

_Slam._

* * *

><p>Mai seethed silently, filling the kettle with water before placing it on the gas burner. Naru was lucky they had a gas stove and not an electric one. In fact, they were probably used to snowstorms up in the mountains, which was why they had gas instead of electric. Also, Mai was surprised the water pipes had yet to freeze. Just in case, she found a few containers and began filling them up with the sink water. The kitchen was so cold that the food in the refrigerator would also probably last a while longer.<p>

But Mai wasn't worried for her and Naru; she was sure they'd make it out fine. Instead, the brunette was becoming increasingly worried about Lin, Ayako, and Bou-san being stuck out in a snowstorm…

Mai stared out of the window, watching as snow swirled rapidly outside, covering everything it could in a thick blanket of white. How was it that winter was so beautiful and innocent looking, yet so cruel and dangerous at the same time? It made her curious, it made her want to explore. She would've gone outside already, but she wasn't equipped with the proper clothes (regardless of Naru's jacket). Speaking of him, he would probably forbid her from leaving the cabin anyway.

She sighed tiredly, as the kettle began to whistle, making sure to pour the tea as fast as possible so it would stay hotter longer. Assuming Masako would be in the base by the time she got there, Mai made three cups.

"Tea is served!" Mai exclaimed as she entered the base, but was surprised when Masako's presence was still missing from the room. "Where on earth is Masako this morning? She's usually up way before me. I even poured a cup for her!"

Naru simply ignored his assistant, continuing to rummage through papers.

_Okay, that's cool. Just ignore me like usual, narcissistic jerk._

Mai rolled her eyes, an unfortunate habit she had picked up after she had come to work for the man. Now that she thought of it, she'd picked up quite a lot of bad habits since coming to work for Naru. "Okay, I'll go wake her up since you obviously don't care."

She stomped out of the base and into the one she and Masako were temporarily sharing only to find that the medium was no longer in bed. In fact, she was nowhere to be found. Frowning, Mai checked in the bathroom, the closets, and even underneath the beds. Instead, lying on top of Masako's rumpled sheets was a rope knotted in the form of a noose. The crazy thing was, Mai didn't even remember it being on the bed when she had first come into the room.

"What the hell," she breathed, her shoulder accidentally digging into the doorframe as she backed out of the room clumsily.

Out of breath after sprinting to the base at the other end of the hall, Mai simply let her legs collapse beneath her upon entering the base. "Naru, Masako's gone! She – I checked everywhere and she wasn't there!"

Although slightly shocked from her sudden appearance, Naru remained calm. "Mai, what are you talking about? There's nowhere Masako could've gone that's not within the walls of this cabin. Did you check the rest of the building?"

Mai shook her head furiously, but it didn't matter. "There…there was a hiking rope, I guess, tied like a noose on her pillow… Naru, I don't think she's here anymore."

"Okay," he soothed her, standing, "We'll check the house just in case. And if she's not here…"

What do we do then?

Mai nodded, but somehow knew that no matter where they looked, they would not find the medium.

* * *

><p>"Naru, please–"<p>

"No. Absolutely not."

"But, Masako could be–"

"The answer is no, Mai."

Puffing her chest out in frustration, the brunette threw the flashlight in her hand onto the couch in her frustration. Not only was it getting later in the afternoon, but the snow seemed to be piling up over the windows, allowing no light to enter the cabin. "If she's not inside this cabin, then Masako is outside. You may be heartless, but I can't just sit by while one of my best friends dies from hypothermia."

Naru crossed his arms, becoming increasingly tired of her argument. "I already told you. It's too dangerous for us to go outside, regardless of the situation."

"And I already told you! Regardless of the situation, I'm going to continue searching for my friend."

"No, you aren't," Naru retorted, signaling the end of the conversation. He winced, feeling the dull pounding of on oncoming headache. "Tea, now."

Rolling her eyes, Mai exited the base and slammed the door behind her a little louder than she had intended. Oh, well, it wasn't like Naru didn't deserve it. She shuffled into the kitchen, going about her usual routine.

A clatter behind her nearly sent the brunette through the ceiling. Mai sighed in relief, putting a hand to her chest when she realized it was just her stoic boss pulling out a chair from the table. Naru looked up as he made himself comfortable, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"Scared?"

Still upset from their earlier argument, Mai turned around without humoring her employer. "Why are you following me around? Don't you have more important business to attend to?"

He was glaring at the back of her head, she could tell. "There's not much we can do without Lin or Bou-san. Besides, your safety is my top priority right now."

Mai paused, staring down at the kettle as she waited for the water to reach its boiling point. "Well, your number one priority should be finding Masako…" she said, trying to will away the blush on her cheeks.

How could one guy make her go from angry to flattered in literally two seconds? The unfortunate part about their relationship was that Mai still didn't know his feelings towards her, even though he knew hers. She still remembered, to her dismay, how horribly her confession to Naru had gone.

"Mai are you even listening to me?"

Mai jolted from her thoughts, realizing that, not only had Naru been talking to her for the past minute, but the kettle was beginning to whistle as well. Turning off the burner and pouring the hot water, Mai served Naru his tea quickly. "What exactly were you saying again?"

"I was saying that you should try writing out some protective charms for yourself."

Mai pointed at herself in shock. "Write them myself? For me? Can I even do that?"

Naru shrugged. "It should work, theoretically."

Mai frowned. "Do we have any of the supplies?"

"Lin usually carries stuff like that with him, just in case. I'm sure if I look through his bags I'll find them…" Naru trailed off, the thought of Lin upsetting him.

The brunette winced at the sore subject. "I think I can do that. Do you think it'll work?"

"If it's you? Yes."

His immediate response caused Mai to spit her tea back into her cup in surprise. She flushed red at her own embarrassing actions, wiping at her mouth furiously. "W-W-What makes you say that?"

"I have faith in you, Mai," he said, as serious as could be.

"I mean," Mai held in a deep breath. She wanted to be able to do this, to become stronger so that she could protect herself. On the other hand, Mai was afraid she might make a fool of herself in front of Naru. "I'll try, but I can't make any promises that the protective charms will work!"

Naru gave a sly smile. "You should rely trust yourself more."

"Says you!" Mai argued aghast, watching as Naru stood to leave the room with a dastardly smirk still tugging at his lips. "You're the one who is always doubting me!"

"_Au contraire_," the black haired narcissist countered, still sipping his tea.

Mai shook her head in disbelief. "Are you speaking French? I have no clue what you just said."

"That's exactly why I said it in French," he mused, leading them into the den instead of returning to the base, which was becoming colder by the minute. Mai followed closely behind, nearly grabbing onto his shirt as they walked blindly through the cabin. "Sit down, I'll go get us some candles and start a fire so it won't be so cold in here."

Mai did as she was told and laid across the couch, waiting for her boss to return.

What on earth were they going to do, stranded and alone in a haunted cabin? All of their friends strangely missing… It was like something straight out of a horror film. It was a good thing she was still a virgin.

Mai closed her eyes and attempted to sooth the tightness in her chest, which came about with thoughts of her friends.

_A loud clang came from the kitchen. _

_Mai smiled, knowing how clumsy her husband was. "What are you doing in there, honey?"_

_Wait, Naru wasn't clumsy in the least and nor was he her husband! And did she just call him 'honey'? What on earth had just crossed her mind? Her brain must be malfunctioning._

"_Sorry, dear!" A nervous laugh came from the kitchen. "It's too dark in here to see a thing! Now where did that fool say the lighter was?"_

_Mai laughed again, hearing multiple things falling at once. "That fool happens to be your best friend who gave us a free vacation at his ski lodge. I wouldn't complain if I were you."_

'_So this is all just a dream,' Mai thought with the realization that she was trapped in the body of another. Because, of course, hell would freeze over before she heard Naru call her 'dear'. She let things progress as they normally did in her visions._

"_Suspicious, really," she heard her dream husband say before he appeared into the dark den, lighting candles around the room. "The power is out and so are the phone lines! What kind of place is he running?"_

_The brunette rolled her eyes. "Why is it suspicious that your friend is giving you a free vacation? Would you relax and enjoy yourself for once? Work has been stressing you out so much lately, just take a much deserved rest."_

_Mai's body was suddenly moving of its own accord, standing in the dimly lit den and making its way over to where her 'husband' was. She was hardly surprised to find that Naru happened to take the place of her embodiment's spouse. The only difference between her Naru and her vision's Naru was that this one was wearing thick glasses. The sight made her break out into a vicious grin. _

'_Not bad with glasses,' she thought. Who was she kidding; Naru looked good in virtually anything._

_When he stood straight after lighting the last candle in the room, Mai wrapped her arms around his shoulders, massaging his back lightly. "Take a break, hm?" she suggested seductively._

_Naru smiled down at her, leaning in for a few quick pecks on the lips. "If you insist."_

_This was quickly going in a direction she was not ready for. As much as Mai wanted to have sexy times with Naru, it would be preferable to have them in real time and not in the dreamscape. She blushed internally, hoping that her vision would end soon._

Sure enough, Mai woke up seconds later, a fire crackling across the room. That sure was a quick tidbit. She had been hoping for a little more case information. "How long was I asleep?" she asked Naru, who seemed to be resting himself in a cozy club chair adjacent to her.

"Only ten or fifteen minutes," he replied, opening his eyes. He smirked, "Seemed like you were having a good dream?"

"Ah, not exactly…" Mai muttered under her breath, sitting up. "And unfortunately I got no information on the case, either."

"I would've guessed not. Not from the way you were grinning from ear to ear."

The brunette blushed violently, "Was I really?" She covered her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Oh, yeah," Naru laughed, the smile on his face widening.

It was good to know he was enjoying himself at her expense. However, the look on his face was priceless. She hadn't seen him smile like that in a long time and it made her feel, for lack of a better word, refreshed. "Sorry I make weird faces in my sleep," she retorted with a roll of her eyes.

"What you were dreaming about that made you so…happy? Do tell," her employer egged on, having no remorse for her poor, embarrassed self.

"It was really nothing important at all!" Mai exclaimed, her blush worsening if it were even possible. "Probably not worth your time."

"If you haven't noticed, Mai, we have nothing to do. And I have _plenty_ of time."

His unusual persistence was becoming annoying; especially since it had to do with the one thing she would do anything to avoid talking to him about. "Naru," she groaned, "don't make me talk about it, it's embarrassing!"

"Fine, I won't make you tell me if you don't want to," Naru finalized, closing his eyes again and resting his entwined hands on his stomach.

The brunette sighed in relief.

Her boss smirked. "Just know that you looked ridiculous."

"_Naru!_"

The boy laughed.

He actually laughed, a genuine laugh. The sound was beautiful, like music to Mai's ears. She only wished he could let loose like this more often. But was it because there wasn't anyone else around that he was acting this way? Or was it simply because he felt comfortable around her? The brunette developed a warm, fuzzy feeling at the thought.

Soon her thoughts took a turn for the worst and a frown tugged at the corners of her mouth. How could she and Naru be joking around when Masako was out missing and Lin, Ayako, and Bou-san were probably stranded on the side of the road in their cars without heat?

Suddenly she felt sick.

Naru looked so serene, his eyes closed and a smile on his face. It was as if he'd forgotten all about everyone else and all of the problems they faced. Mai couldn't ruin that; it had been such a long time since she'd seen him like this – scratch that, it was the_ first _time she'd ever seen him like this.

Maybe once he was fast asleep, she would sneak outside with a flashlight to look for Masako? That would give her a good hour of search time. There was no way Naru would wake up that fast, considering how tired she knew they both were.

Mai shook her head restlessly. No, she wouldn't do that. Naru was already stressed enough, if she got herself hurt he would probably go into cardiac arrest.

'_I guess the only thing I can do is…sleep on it.'_

And sleep came.

But Mai did not dream.

* * *

><p>HOLY CRAP, THIS IS SO LATE. I'm sorry, guys. Please don't hate me. I love you.<p> 


	33. File 7: Snow Joke :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 7: Snow Joke

* * *

><p>The sound of shattering ceramic woke Mai. She gasped as she regained consciousness due to the ear-splitting noise, looking around in the dimly lit darkness. It must have been the middle of the night or just before sunrise, if she had to guess. A few embers were still burning on the hearth where Naru had made them a fire.<p>

Quickly wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth, the brunette looked over to where Naru had been sitting earlier. He was still sleeping soundly, surprisingly enough. It's not like she could really blame him; he probably didn't sleep at all the night before, worrying over Lin and the others.

But if Naru hadn't made that noise…who had?

Mai stood from the couch warily, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness before she moved any farther. She grabbed one of the candles that was still flickering and stepped slowly over to the kitchen where the sound had come from.

Everything was silent upon her entrance; nothing really seemed out of place. Upon further inspection, a cabinet located to the right of the sink was wide open. Mai frowned and began to walk closer, until her foot came into contact with a few pieces of broken glass.

"What the–"

The floor creaked eerily as footsteps paced slowly behind her. Mai held her breath, becoming so deathly still one might wonder if she were dead on her feet. A cool breeze swept passed her suddenly, making her wonder if a window had been opened somewhere in the cabin, although she knew otherwise. It was refreshing, actually. Almost…comforting, Mai thought.

She relaxed, closing her eyes and embracing the cold wind.

"_Oh, this is perfect!" she exclaimed, stretching her arms into the air. "Honey, come on outside. This weather is absolutely wonderful!"_

_Wait…had that really just come out of her mouth? _

_Opening her eyes, Mai realized that she was outside on the cabin's porch. It was a clear, crisp morning and the ground had a fresh, thick layer of snow that seemed ideal for skiing or snowboarding. The sight was absolutely gorgeous._

_Dream-Naru with glasses laughed, coming to join her out on the porch in his pajamas. He let his arms drape around her waist. "You don't want to go for another round?" he suggested playfully, his arms tightening around her and pulling her to his chest. He began showering her neck with little kisses._

_Mai would've covered her face in embarrassment if she weren't another person at the moment. Instead, she was tankful when her body managed to giggle and pushed away from her 'husband'. "It's already noon and we're supposed to meet Takeda-san at one! Besides, we'll have plenty of time for that tonight, Setou."_

_As if the situation weren't strange enough, Naru pouted. Or at least, the person Naru was playing as in her mind. "Come on, he'll understand if we play hooky. It is, after all, our anniversary!"_

_Mai ducked out of his arms and smiled, before making her way inside the cabin. "We shouldn't keep him waiting!"_

"_I'm not feeling too good, actually," Naru pleaded, feeling his own forehead with the back of his hand._

"_You're friend gave us a free vacation, and this is how you repay him?" Mai scolded, hands on her hips._

_Dream-Naru rolled his eyes, following her into the cabin where he would likely be coerced into going skiing or something along the lines. "Women."_

_After that, it all went so fast. _

_After an hour or so of skiing, they left him on the slopes to cool down. He wasn't feeling well and wanted some fresh air._

_Then there was the avalanche._

Mai opened her eyes, tears already streaming down her cheeks. A comforting hand landed on her shoulders, and Mai's head jerked upwards in surprise. It was Setou, the man that had healed her hurt leg. Except this time he didn't look like Naru with glasses. Instead, he took on his actual appearance; thin, with a chin of un-shaved stubble and a sad smile upon his face.

The brunette wiped her eyes. "What are you still doing here?"

The man shook his head, as though he didn't know himself.

Mai frowned at the simple answer. "You've been hurting people, you know. You've been locking people in these cabins, taking their firewood and food! Some have frozen to death! Why?"

His head was hung in shame and answered, "I never meant to hurt anyone, really–"

"Where is my friend Masako, then? What did the noose on her pillow mean, huh?"

Instead of answering her questions, he clasped one of Mai's dainty hands within his ghostly ones. "I need help," he pleaded. "I need to get out of this place and pass on! I thought, maybe, if I made enough of a ruckus they would send some sort of exorcist to get rid of me…"

This poor soul had been waiting all this time to be set free. Mai shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry. Naru and I can't do much without our team of investigators…"

"Your friend Masako should be here soon enough–"

Mai's eyes widened. "Is she okay?! Where is she?"

As if there was some sort of bad connection, Setou began flickering before her eyes. "Sh….fine. I'm…orry I c…n't be…more hel…ful," he said, before he disappeared all together.

"Dammit!" Mai cursed, close to slamming the candle she had been holding onto the counter in her frustration.

"Mai!" Naru burst into the kitchen with a flashlight, causing the brunette to jump nearly five feet in the air.

"God, Naru!" Mai sunk to the ground, exhausted from all of the events that had just transpired, her eyes tired from crying. "Give a girl some warning before you scare the crap out of her."

The narcissist frowned, shining his light from her bloody feet, with shards of glass stuck in them, to her tear stained face. "Mai, what on earth just happened?"

* * *

><p>"Ah!" Mai winced as a sharp pain ran through her foot and she flinched away from her employer's hands. "You know, you are <em>not<em> good at this," she said, frustration evident in her voice.

With the light of the rising sun flooding the room in its gentle glow, Naru abandoned his flashlight in order to pick the remaining pieces of glass from Mai's feet. "If you would hold still, there wouldn't be a problem," he insisted, tightening his grip on her ankle.

"I'm trying!" the brunette argued, "You're being too rough!"

Naru rolled his eyes, finally pulling out the last shard embedded in Mai's foot. "So what did he say about Hara-san?"

Catching his eye roll, Mai glared at him and stole her foot away, inspecting his handiwork. "Well, his exact words were something like, 'she'll be here soon enough'. I don't know what that means, really. Has he been watching over her? And was he the one that caused her disappearance in the first place? We still don't know…"

"I would've been nice for you to ask _him_ those questions, not me," Naru scorned, once again grabbing her ankle closer to him. He took a cotton swab soaked in alcohol and dabbed it across the bottom of his assistant's foot.

"Hey!" She yelled, surprised at the sudden pain invading her senses. Naru paused, allowing her to gain some composure. "It's not like I could, anyway. We had bad connection or something. He just flickered out."

Naru hummed in concentration. "Masako will have to help you with your developing abilities when she gets back."

"Developing abilities?" The brunette questioned dumbly.

"To explain it in terms that you might understand, Mai; now that Gene is no longer your spirit guide, or is less involved in your dreams than he was before, your astral-projecting abilities have room to grow. Not to say that they will, but there is a good chance."

That meant that she'd be able to help out more, didn't it? Mai almost jumped up in excitement. Or she would've had her foot been on the ground. Naru however was still cradling her it in his hand, wrapping a bandage carefully around the wounded area. "So…that's a good thing, right?"

"Not always." Naru raised an eyebrow, glancing up in amusement. "Especially since you have such a knack at getting yourself into trouble when I'm not around."

Mai gave him a joking pout and they shared a comfortable moment of silence while Naru finished up him mediocre medical treatment. The brunette was surprised when she heard Naru speak once again.

"Gene…have you seen him lately?"

Mai didn't know how to respond. Had she? She had been having dreams including a Naru look-alike, but how could she differentiate Gene from her own dream version of Naru? And it's not like she could've asked him in one of her dreams because of they way they happened in first person. "I don't really know, actually…" she trailed off, letting her employer pick up what she way saying.

He glared at her through dark bangs, "How can you not know?"

Mai blushed a deep red, scratching her nape nervously under his scrutiny. "Well, I see you in my visions, but I'm still unable to tell you from Gene – other than the fact that _he_ actually smiles. And he was smiling, except it wasn't because he was himself, he was playing the part of another person..."

Naru raised an eyebrow. Why was she so embarrassed?

Because she received no response, Mai went on. "So…I wasn't sure if it was him or if it was me just dreaming about you…"

She hadn't told him anything about visions including Gene, which meant she had been hiding them from him. But was this really the reason why she hadn't told him? How ridiculous that she embarrassed over this. "Didn't I tell you that you would probably see him again?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't sure!" Mai scowled, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly. "I mean, how embarrassing would it have been for me to walk up to you and say I had a dream about Gene and then you say in that haughty voice of yours that Gene had passed on and that I was really dreaming about you or something?! I mean…"

Naru was no longer listening to Mai as his thoughts had trailed off to Gene. Why was he so reluctant to move on? His brother could be so obstinate sometimes. Or perhaps the reason his brother had yet to move on had something to do with his cute brunette assistant? Wait, did he just say cute? He shook his head, still deep in thought. He knew Mai liked Gene…so what if Gene returned her feelings and that's why he couldn't pass on?

The situation seemed to worsen the more Naru thought about the possibilities. The thought of Mai and his ghostly brother as a couple sent shivers up and down his spine. He was going to have a nice, long chat with Gene.

"So…what do we do now, Naru?"

"I'm not sure."

* * *

><p>It must've been around noon, Mai concluded as she watched the sun tower high in the sky. The snow was still piled dangerously around the cabin, keeping them trapped inside (especially since they didn't have any tools to shovel snow). Hopefully the sunrays would help some of the snow melt.<p>

Mai rested her head against the window with a sigh. "Naru, I'm so bored!"

The narcissist looked up from a pile of research papers to glare at her. "Maybe you could occupy yourself by being useful," he suggested sarcastically.

"How?" she questioned dramatically with a fake sob, "All of the thermometers are dead, and the monitors too."

Naru held up the papers in his hand with a smug smirk. If she was bored, he certainly had something for her to do.

"You know how much I hate looking through articles," the brunette said with a scowl.

However, much to Naru's surprise, Mai reluctantly sat next to him and grabbed a pile of papers. She really _was_ bored, he thought. At least she would lighten the load. "Look for information about the avalanche."

"Mkay."

And with that, they shared a comfortable silence. Moments later, after the flip of a page, Mai's eyes widened. "Naru!"

"Hm?" The teenager looked up from whatever he was reading. "What is it?"

The brunette looked over at him worriedly, holding up the article she had in her hands. "The avalanche…it was–!"

A loud bang interrupted her and both of their heads immediately flew in the direction of the noise. Taking a deep breath, Mai looked over at her employer before eventually standing up. Naru simply nodded, motioning for her to follow him as he led the way into the den.

Much to their surprise, the front door was wide open with a bundled up Masako standing in the threshold.

* * *

><p>FINALLY DONE! Hope you guys enjoy this (shorter than normal) chapter! I'm already started on the next!<p> 


	34. File 7: Snow Joke :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 7: Snow Joke

* * *

><p>"Masako!" Mai exclaimed, charging towards the young medium and wrapping her in a strong hug.<p>

The young woman scowled angrily at her friend's actions, pushing away with her delicate hands. It was no surprise when the first words from her mouth came haughtily, "Let go, you'll wrinkle my kimono."

Mai grinned, 'That's our Masako, alright.'

Naru crossed his arms, rather unwarmed by their reunion with the medium. "Care to explain your disappearance, Hara-san?"

It seemed that Mai had almost forgotten the fact that the medium had been missing for the last day. She pushed Masako away and held her at arms length, giving her a look almost like a mother would her child. "Where on earth have you been?! Naru and I have been worried sick about you!" she scolded.

Heavy footsteps reverberated on the porch outside. A burly looking man almost as tall as Lin came in through the front door, having to duck beneath it. "She was with me."

Mai let her mouth hang open as she stared up at the towering man. "Who…?"

Masako rolled her eyes at the brunette's reaction. "This is Miyamoto-san. He owns the lodge along with his wife."

* * *

><p>Mai handed a cup of tea to Miyamoto. The buff man accepted it with a thankful grunt and a nod of his head. The brunette smiled at him before seating herself next to Naru. It was a funny sight to see; Miyamoto was almost too big for the loveseat across from them, which was meant to fit two people, and looked as if he could smash the delicate ceramic teacup with a flex of his pinky finger.<p>

"Now that everyone is seated," Naru addressed Masako who sat in the recliner adjacent to Miyamoto and themselves, "please, enlighten us as to what brought the two of you together."

The medium nodded. "Well, I woke up the night before last by some sort of noise. It was horribly loud, almost like an earthquake, and it sounded like it was coming from outside. I went to investigate, but as soon as I opened the door to the front porch, it all just stopped. After that, I blacked out. And when I woke up, I was in Miyamoto-san's cabin," Masako finished with a sigh, motioning for the old man to explain his side of the story.

Miyamoto spoke briefly, "I was patrolling on a snowmobile. Found her in the snow."

"Wow," Mai said, unable to find any other words to say.

Naru gently took the reigns of the conversation. "You don't remember anything about how you got out of the cabin and wandered out into the snow?"

The medium shook her head.

Mai turned to the rather large man sitting across from herself and Naru. "You weren't snowed in, Miyamoto-san?"

"I dug my way out," Miyamoto nodded.

She knew she shouldn't have expected much more from the muscular man. Mai swallowed a mouthful of tea that she had just taken and forced a smile. The brunette turned to Naru for help, because it seemed like they were getting nowhere.

"We can only assume Setou has had a generous part in this set up," Naru commented, rubbing at his chin before taking a long sip from his teacup.

Miyamoto twitched, as if he knew what Naru was talking about. "Setou?"

Now that was slightly suspicious looking. Especially since he made no comment on the existence of ghosts and his wife made so sure to mention that he held no belief in the paranormal. "Ah, the sprit that is residing in this cabin seems to go by the name Setou. He died in an avalanche here many years ago," Mai jumped in, raising a brow hopefully. "Do you know anything about him?"

"The name sounds…familiar," Miyamoto said, his eyes narrowing at her. "You say he died in an avalanche?"

Mai gasped, standing from the couch and nearly knocking the tea set over.

Naru merely glared at her, but she could almost hear him mentally scolding her.

"Uh," The brunette started nervously, nearly forgetting the reason for her disruption. "I just remembered that thing I read this morning about the avalanche. I was about to tell you before Masako and Miyamoto-san showed up! Let me get the paper!"

Mai scrounged around the den for the news article she remembered reading. Much to her misfortune, she had moved it when clearing the coffee table for teatime and could not seem to find it. However, a familiar picture caught her eye and the brunette pulled the important paper out from underneath an entire stack of articles. "Aha!"

Masako and Naru proceeded to roll their eyes.

Mai pursed her lips. "It says here that the avalanche was suspected to have been a 'set up'. There was evidence of a bomb that was later found at the site where the avalanche started. So it might have been intentional! In that case, maybe Setou might be stuck here because the person who caused his death hasn't been brought to justice?" She glanced up at Naru for his opinion.

The narcissist hummed, rubbing his chin in thought. "Sounds plausible enough. He has acknowledged that he is dead…"

Although Mai knew where her employer was coming from, he hadn't technically acknowledged his death. "No, he never said he knew he was dead. He just said he was stuck here."

"Perhaps he needs to be told?" Masako suggested with a shrug.

"Yeah," Mai agreed with a smile. "Maybe its one of those things where they have a feeling they're dead, but they're in denial about it?"

Ignoring talk of spirits, Miyamoto shook his head. "The real question is…"

"Who started the avalanche?" They all chorused.

* * *

><p>"We're getting no where," Mai exclaimed with frustration, falling back onto the couch with a scowl marring her face. It was already midday, the hot sun steadily melting away the ice that surrounded the cabin, and they had still made no progress in contacting Setou. "He didn't respond to us asking him questions. He didn't contact me when I took a nap. He didn't even respond when we threatened him! There is literally nothing else we can do at this point."<p>

"That's not true," Masako countered. Her voice had, at this point, regained its usually haughtiness, enraging Mai even further.

The brunette sat up, glaring at the medium exasperatedly. "Excuse me?" Surprising, even Naru looked as if he were about to throw the towel in, judging from the obvious disappointment on his face.

Sensing an attitude, Masako retorted in kind. "Did I stutter, Mai?"

"Why I ought to–"

"Hara-san is right," Naru cut off his assistant, knowing that they would all have to suffer another of her rants if he didn't. "There is an option we haven't explored, although I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this."

"Well…" Suddenly at a loss of anger, Mai inquired further, "What is it then?"

"A séance," Masako and Naru echoed simultaneously, making the word sound even more ominous than it already did.

Mai felt a shiver wrack her spine. "Didn't we perform a séance during the Bloodstained Labyrinth case?"

"A very successful one at that," Masako nodded.

Mai slumped in her seat. "So you're saying there's also a chance that it might not work?"

"Unless there is a universal force that causes séances to always work, then yes, there is a possibility that it might not," Naru deadpanned, obviously insulting her intelligence.

"I'm sorry, I'm not a college graduate with a degree in _para…para_-whatever you call it!" Mai argued, vowing to refuse him tea the next time he asked. Why did he always feel the need to make fun at her expense every opportunity he was presented? "Maybe there _is_ a universal force that ensures séances to be successful, for all I know!"

Pushing aside thoughts of how cute his assistant was when she got worked up, Naru merely smirked. "I think the word you're looking for is _parapsychology_?"

"You are such a pain!" Mai huffed, crossing her arms.

"So," Miyamoto started, "what exactly is this séance thing?"

The brunette almost jumped at the big man's words. He had been so quiet this whole time she had nearly forgotten that he was there.

"It is an attempt to communicate with spirits through the use of a medium, like Hara-san," Naru explained. He looked at Mai pointedly only to have her return it with her tongue stuck out. He wished he could tell her to put it back in her mouth before he made use of it, but that would surely bring their relationship to an awkwardness level that even he was not ready for. Certainly, the only good it would do was muddle his poor assistant's brain more than it already was.

"So, lets go ahead and do it," Miyamoto suggested, sounding as skeptical as ever. He was probably counting on the séance being unsuccessful. However, Naru had a feeling otherwise.

"It's usually better to perform the séance after sunset, so in the meanwhile we'll gather all of the necessary materials," the narcissist said, turning to Mai. "First of all: Mai, tea."

* * *

><p>The brunette seethed uncontrollably as she set about making tea for her addicted, workaholic boss.<p>

Wait a second…hadn't she vowed to _not _make him tea the next time he asked? She stiffened at the thought, the kettle in her hand becoming noticeably heavier as she filled it with water.

She had failed once again. But she was already in the process of making it, and would probably be thoroughly embarrassed by Naru if she stormed into the den, refusing to make tea because of some insult he had thrown earlier. Plus they had a guest, so it would be rude to not make tea…

Why did going up against her boss prove to be so difficult? When would she get her chance to finally one-up him?

Probably never, she knew. Mai chuckled at her own pathetic thoughts. She was seriously talking to herself. Wasn't that only something that crazy people did?

"Mai?"

The brunette screamed, almost hitting her head on the ceiling when she jumped in surprise. She turned around, startled to see the main subject of her thoughts standing directly behind her and much closer than she expected. "Naru! You nearly scared the crap out of me!"

The narcissist actually looked just as freaked out as she did, though he regained his composure almost immediately. "I've literally been talking to you for the past minute and you didn't realize…?" he inquired. At first, Mai thought he was joking; she hadn't noticed him at all! But the expression on his face looked dead serious.

She had been too preoccupied with her thoughts of him to actually notice that he was standing right next to her, let alone to notice that he was having a one-sided conversation with her. Mai turned scarlet, hiding her cheeks with her hands when she realized.

From her actions, Naru seemed to get the hint. He smirked before deciding to tease her a little. "What on earth was your mind so occupied with, that you didn't notice me talking to you?"

"Nothing important, really," she said sassily, hoping he would get the insult.

As stray piece of hair invaded the brunette's vision and Naru involuntarily placed it behind her ear, as if it were the most natural thing to do in the world. Mai's breath caught at their sudden proximity and she almost forgot to exhale.

"Nothing important?" Naru asked. Although he knew it had been a joke, he found himself wanting her to take it back.

"Nothing important," Mai repeated. Not because she was agreeing with him, – which, she would if she were coherent – but only because her brain was literally shutting down at the moment. Her eyes flickered down to her boss's lips unintentionally, and she bit down on her own out of habit.

Naru, realizing what was happening, sudedenly pulled away, looking in any direction other than his assistant. Meanwhile, Mai took a moment to let her brain re-wire and once again become functional. Needless to say, the same exact thoughts were running through both of their heads.

What the hell just happened?

Naru cleared his throat as the teakettle began the whistle. "After the tea is made, you can join us in looking for materials for the séance."

Mai simply nodded, unsure of what exactly had just transpired. Her face remained flushed as she continued her duties. Had they been about to kiss, or was it simply her own wishful thinking? She hoped from the bottom her heart that if was the former. But hadn't he technically rejected her? Well, it was anyone's guess at this point.

She sighed, pouring four cups full of scalding water with her shaky hands. Feeling this way around Naru was truly exhausting. When was she going to move passed him?

Probably never, she knew.

* * *

><p>Slightly more relaxed after two cups of tea, Mai set up the small round table that Miyamoto had found in the attic for the séance. She placed four white candles, one for each of them, towards the center of the table, lighting them with a match.<p>

Masako had told her that spirits were usually attracted to the séance with the smells of food. Unfortunately they'd have to save that for themselves in case of emergencies, so Mai brewed another batch of tea and placed the kettle on a wooden trivet in the middle of the table instead. Hopefully it would have the desired effect.

The narcissist looked at the kettle in amusement upon entering the room. Mai glanced up at Naru for approval. "Will this do instead of food?" she inquired sheepishly.

Her employer merely shrugged.

Well, if he hadn't called her stupid or insulted her then she must've done _something_ right, right?

* * *

><p>I'm alive! Kind of? Sorry for the delayed update. I'm already working on the next one, so please be patient! READ AND REVIEW!<p> 


	35. File 7: Snow Joke :: 5

Behind Closed Doors

File 7: Snow Joke

* * *

><p>Mai glared across the table at Masako.<p>

That little twerp had said it would help them connect to the spirits better if they all held hands for the séance, which_ really_ meant _she_ just wanted to hold hands with Naru. Although Mai lucked out in this situation since she would have the opportunity to hold Naru's hand as well, it still felt as if Masako had won some sort of unspoken competition between the two of them.

The medium smirked evilly in Mai's direction as she joined hands with Naru and Miyamoto. Huffing, Mai reluctantly did the same. Don't get her wrong! It's not like she didn't want to hold Naru's hand – of course she did. It's just…after the whole kitchen moment she felt so awkward. Naru probably felt the same, too. She just didn't want him to be uncomfortable around her. Well, she could go ahead and shoot the idea in the face with Masako calling the shots.

Naru tightened his hold on her hand, although he had probably done it unintentionally. His hand felt so warm and comforting within hers. Mai never would've imagined his hands to feel this way if she weren't experiencing it right now. He was so pale, like the moon. And he was also usually emotionally cold as well.

Mai took the moment to glance up at him, only to receive the shock of her life.

Her face quickly snapped back into place, leaving her neck stinging with the force of the jerk. Mai's blush quickly spread all the way up to her ears. Why had Naru had been staring at her?

Hell if she knew! Why would any hot guy ever look at her, to be honest? Was it because she looked weird? Was her hair messed up? Did she have something in her teeth? A pimple? She could crawl into a whole and die.

Naru squeezed at her hand once more, tighter this time. When she looked up, he was facing Masako who was beginning the séance.

That's right, what on earth was she thinking about? She needed to focus on this case, first and foremost.

"_Spirits of the past, move among us. Be guided by the light of this world and visit upon us_."

Mai held her breath, her hand twitching against Naru's. There was a long period of silence and, disappointingly enough, nothing happened. The brunette sighed, her shoulders slumping as Masako repeated the chant over again.

What the hell?

She didn't understand. Why wasn't he making an attempt to communicate with them? Setou had already told her that he had been trying to get their attention. Shouldn't he be jumping at the opportunity to explain things? Give them clues so that they could help?

Masako huffed in frustration, repeating the chant for a third time when the silence became unbearable once more.

Tears pricked at Mai's eyes. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to will away the tears when suddenly a cool breeze relaxed her. It was a familiar feeling.

Mai opened her eyes, only to see Setou's ghostly face a few mere inches away from her own. Gasping loudly, the brunette almost tipped backwards in her chair, but was held firmly in place by Naru and Miyamoto's hands.

"S–Setou?" The brunette managed to choke out.

The spirit stuck out of the middle of the table from his shoulders up, facing Mai with a smile on his face. "Mai-chan."

A bit miffed that she wasn't the one being addressed (she _was_ the medium, after all), Masako interrupted, "Now that you're finally here, we'll get down to business. There are a few questions that we need to ask you."

Setou turned to Masako, his face suddenly serious. "I'm dead, right? I've been thinking about it a lot lately and that seems to be the only explanation. So please tell me the truth."

Masako said nothing for a while before nodding slowly. "You are dead, Setou-san."

The man smiled sadly, "I don't know why I'm surprised…I thought that was the reason."

"Do you think if you knew the reason you died you would be able to move on?" Mai inquired gently, more tears threatening to spill. "We want to help you, so that you don't have to be stuck here any longer. You don't have to suffer anymore."

Setou laughed. "That's very kind of you."

"There was a newspaper article on the incident that claims the avalanche might've been premeditated. There was evidence of a bomb," Naru commented for the first time since Setou had appeared. "The only fatality was yours. Although a thorough investigation was done, the police could find no connection between you and the bomb."

The spirits eyes widened at this tidbit of information. "You said a bomb?"

Naru simply nodded. "You see a connection?"

"Well, its just speculation," the ghostly man whispered, sinking slightly into the wooden table, "but an old friend of mine used to be interested in that kind of thing…"

Mai's eyes widened. "It couldn't have been…!"

Miyamoto's eyes narrowed. "My father?"

Setou shook his head, denial setting in. "B-But he decided to take over his family's ski lodge! He dropped out of college instead of pursuing a career in engineering. He couldn't have…he was my friend…"

The brunette covered her mouth in horror. "But he was the one that invited you and your wife to the ski lodge for your anniversary. Are you sure…?"

"_He was my friend!_"

With a gust of wind, the spirit had disappeared.

Mai breathed heavily, cursing under her breath. Why was she suddenly feeling over heated? She broke the circle and quickly stood from the table, exiting the building and escaping onto the frozen porch.

Her boss called after her and he hastily followed, his steps stopping on the porch when he saw her.

Mai glanced up at him apologetically, "Sorry, I just needed some fresh air. I feel sick."

Naru gave her a strange look, torn between worry and anger. Mai nearly snorted at her own thoughts. Worried over her?

"Mai, I think you know what we have to do next," he said, crossing his arms.

The brunette gasped. "You're not planning on exorcising him, are you?"

Naru glared at her. "Exorcize him with what, exactly?" That's right. It was just them and Masako, none of which had the skills to properly exorcize spirits.

Mai glanced at Naru sheepishly. Well, he probably had some sort of ability to perform exorcisms, but there was no doubt that it would drain him dangerously. Speaking of which, she still knew hardly anything about Naru's powers. What exactly was this man capable of?

"Sorry, I'm not thinking straight…" Mai admitted. She blushed, mentally blaming her muddled mind on that almost-kiss that had nearly taken place in the kitchen.

Naru stepped closer, a dangerous look on his face. Mai almost flinched. "There's only three of us now, Mai. I need you to be fully capable. Screw your head on straight."

Mai flushed angrily, stomping her foot in emphasis. "Well, whose fault is it that I'm like this in the first place?"

That had not come out the way she had intended. The brunette quickly realized her mistake when she saw Naru's shocked reaction. And if Mai hadn't been red in the face before, she certainly was now.

"Mai…" Naru took a step closer, looking at her with confused eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"You're infuriating!" Mai exclaimed, backing away quickly as if trying to distract him from what she has just admitted. She shook her head, with a pitiful laugh. "I can't handle you right now."

The brunette moved around him to find refuge inside where Masako and Miyamoto were waiting. Naru hated other hearing about his business; maybe he would drop the subject around the others? However, Naru's reflexes allowed him to expertly cut her off, his arm flying out to block the threshold that Mai was dying to get through. "Mai."

Surely, Mai's heart was about to break her ribcage it was beating so hard. "Naru, it's nothing."

"Answer me," he demanded again, beginning to sound like a spoiled child.

"Naru!" This time Mai couldn't help but sound pleading. "Do you have to do this now?"

"Yes," he replied stubbornly, surprisingly relentless. Usually, if an argument went this far he would leave it alone. He had never resorted in blocking off her exits and trapping her.

Not seeing a way out of the situation she was in, Mai sighed and calmed herself. She closed her eyes, suddenly finding it way too cold outside for her liking. "You frustrate me more than anyone else on the planet, Naru. I can barely think straight when I'm around you, you know? It makes it hard for me to be efficient at anything I do, which you don't miss a chance to tease me about. It makes me nervous when you watch me…and it makes me nervous when you don't! I just…I don't know what to do with myself."

There was an instant of pregnant silence. Mai stared at her feet, wondering when the awful moment would end.

"Is it a bad feeling?" her employer inquired softly.

Slightly surprised at the gentleness of his voice, Mai shook her head in embarrassment. "Not really…"

"Then, that's it?"

Mai looked up at Naru in disbelief, slightly horrified at the huge smirk across his face. That's it? Yes, that's it! She poured out all of her feelings, like he wanted, and he didn't even feel a hint of remorse for forcing her into doing so!

Her face turning beet red once again, the brunette raised her fist, ready to give him a piece of mind.

A laughed bubbled out of his mouth before Naru was able to stop it and Mai's heart nearly stopped. It was so rare for him to actually smile, let alone laugh genuinely. The brunette was so astounded that all of her anger remained forgotten.

"We should go inside," Naru suggested, watching his assistant begin to shiver from the cold.

Mai laughed sheepishly, "Yeah, you're probably right."

Naru raised an eyebrow. Probably right? He was always right. Mai could almost hear him saying those exact words and continued to laugh even more as Naru led her into the warmth of the cabin house.

* * *

><p>"Perhaps it would help for Setou to speak with Miyamoto-san himself? Maybe to forgive him?" Mai suggested with a shrug, leaning back on the couch as she hovered over a cup of hot tea.<p>

Naru nodded, thinking it over.

Mai perked up at this, a smiling tugging at her lips. So he was actually considering something she had said?

"My father?" Miyamoto looked up in concern. "Unfortunately, that's impossible. He died a few years ago in a skiing accident…"

The brunette would've scoffed had it not been so incredibly inappropriate at the moment. The irony of the entire situation was just becoming ridiculous. And there goes her idea that even Naru hadn't criticized, down the drain.

"Plus, we're still partially snowed in. It would be a challenge to have anyone come down here," Masako commented.

Naru simply nodded again, looking off into the distance as if he weren't even listening.

Mai frowned. Okay so maybe she hadn't had the best of ideas, but no one else had any input so her pride didn't feel that wounded. "Well, maybe you can convince him to come to terms with reality, Masako? Help him pass on."

The medium smiled that famous behind-the-sleeve smile, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "But Mai, you've done so well lately with helping spirits pass on. Why would I take this one from you? You also seem to have a much deeper connection with him."

"Masako is right," Naru said, speaking for the first time. "Mai, you should be the one to take this one."

The brunette sighed at having said job thrust upon her. "Well, I'm going to nap a little. See what I can see."

After twenty minutes or so of resting peacefully on the couch, Mai slipped off to the astral plane.

* * *

><p>It was dark, like usual. Mai hovered in the midst of it all, orbs continuously floating passed her in an upward motion. It felt like it had been years since she'd visited this place, and oh how she had missed it.<p>

"Mai."

The brunette nearly had a heart attack when the soft voice came from behind her. Yes, she had been expecting to meet Setou here, but this voice did not belong to him. In fact, it was all too familiar.

Mai turned slowly, facing the boy she once thought she'd never see again. "Is that really you, Gene?"

Gene smiled, pulling the girl into a quick hug. "It feels like its been forever."

"Has it been you in all of my dreams lately?" Mai inquired curiously. "Naru said I might see you again one day, but I had not clue that things would just…return to normal."

"I wouldn't say that things are returning to normal," The boy laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. His mannerisms were so boyish, so unlike Naru, that it made Mai smile. It was only too bad that he couldn't be around for his brother in the flesh. "I can still continue to be your spirit guide, however. There are a few things I'd like to teach you since our skills are so similar."

"That would be great! But…" Mai trailed off, looking at the boy curiously, "is it okay that you haven't passed on yet?"

Gene smiled sadly, "There's nothing much we can do about it right now. I'll be fine, though."

"You would let me know if there were any way I could help you out?" Mai questioned, holding his hand comfortingly.

"Absolutely," Gene assured with a grin, "But for now you have work to do, right? I'm sorry for distracting you."

The brunette couldn't help but tear up. "I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot more of you now, right?"

Gene started to fade, but gave her a wink, "Of course! Oh, and tell Naru to check his mirror!"

As Gene dissipated into thin air, Mai frowned. "Check his mirror? What on earth does that mean? I guess its like an inside joke or something."

A tap on her shoulder disrupted Mai's thoughts.

"Setou."

* * *

><p>Thank you guys so much for waiting on me! I'm so bad at being on time, especially since I've been having horrible writers block lately. Sorry for this horrible excuse of a chapter, because it's the best I could come up with.<p> 


	36. File 7: Snow Joke :: 6

Behind Closed Doors

File 7: Snow Joke

* * *

><p>"Mai," Setou smiled apologetically, "Sorry about earlier."<p>

The brunette knew at this point that it would be easy for Setou to pass on. He was by far the most understanding spirit that she had ever faced. Now that she thought about it, had another spirit ever apologized to her like this? Not that she could think of.

"You have every right to be upset," Mai said sadly, her hand finding his shoulder and giving it a quick, comforting squeeze. "If the person who did this to you was your best friend; even if he wasn't. Truth be told, we don't really know the reality of what happened. But it was unfair to you either way."

Setou nodded grimly, covering his eyes with a trembling hand. "There was so much more that I wanted to do. Why did it have to be me? I wanted to have children, wanted to watch them mature, and grow old with my wife. There was so much more…"

Because the world is corrupt. Because there are people who believe that murder is justifiable. Because there would always be people in the world like that. Unfortunately those people weren't always brought to justice, much like this case.

But the world was also beautiful, Mai remembered. The faces of her smiling teammates came to mind, as well as all of the beautiful memories she has managed to make with them. She wouldn't trade that for anything else in the world.

Taking a deep breath, Mai wiped away at her own tears. She held his crying figure at arms length, the cloth of his shirt feeling so real for some reason. "The tragedy of it now is that you're still the only one suffering. And you don't deserve that at all."

"I don't," the spirit agreed, looking down into the abyss below their feet.

"But you can have peace," Mai assured happily, "Eternal happiness."

Setou looked up sheepishly. "I can really still have that?"

"Of course you can!" Mai laughed. "I know it will be hard, but the only way to pass on is to let go. Just let go of everything – everything that you could've had or should've had in your lifetime. None of it really matters any more."

The man was silent for a moment. His eyes bored into Mai's for a good while, assessing her words. The spirit nodded, his back straightening. He was beginning to come around. "I can't go back any more. All of that is gone now. I have to move forwards."

Mai smiled, her heart still somewhat heavy. Setou would've made an amazing husband, its only too bad his life had been so limited.

Setou smiled down at her gently. "You remind me so much of her," he said sadly, cupping her cheek.

"Your wife?" Mai inquired, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes.

"Akemi was her name," he said, "and it suits you just as it suited her."

Mai flushed bright red and she looked away in embarrassment. Akemi meant bright and beautiful. If that wasn't one of the most classic compliments Mai had ever been given, she didn't know what was. "T-Thank you…"

Setou leaned over to give her a peck on the cheek before slowly turning a golden color. Mai knew this was it. "I don't think I ever would've been able to pass on if it weren't for you, Mai. Thank you for everything."

Those were the last words he said before he transformed into a pure bundle of light. It was so bright that Mai had to close her eyes for a moment. Tears, a mix of sad and happy, trailed down the brunette's cheeks.

Setou was finally going to get the happiness that he deserved and Mai couldn't have been more thankful.

Mai regained consciousness, but her eyes remained closed. She could feel that her face was wet and knew that she had been crying in her state of astral projection.

"It seems that Setou-san's spirit has dissipated," Masako said gently somewhere across the room, probably to Naru. "Mai has succeeded."

"Yeah, he's gone," the brunette confirmed, sniffing before sitting up groggily. "He went peacefully."

Opening her eyes as small as a slit, Mai recognized that an object was being held in front of her face. A tissue, to be more exact. She looked up to see the huge Miyamoto offering the material to wipe her face with and smiled. This man seemed so different than the sort of guy that would kill his best friend. Luckily he took after his mother, Mai thought and almost laughed. The thought of a woman growing to the same size as the man in front of her seemed nearly impossible.

Mai thanked him for the tissue and went about making herself at least look somewhat presentable.

"Naru, I think we're done here."

* * *

><p>Conveniently enough, the van arrived early the next morning toting an exhausted looking Lin as well as an equally fatigued Ayako and Bou-san in the back seat.<p>

As it turns out, they had faired just fine during the storm. Lin managed to find the monk and priestess stopped on the side of the road, hitched their car to the van, and stopped at a nearby inn where they stayed until the roads were safe enough to drive on. The phone lines had still been down at the time, so it was nearly impossible for them to get in contact with cabin and let them know that they were okay.

And did Mai mention how many hours it took to shovel themselves out of the cabin? It was a nightmare (not that she had to do any of the work).

Bou-san's car was still unresponsive after the whole incident, which was why they were currently stopping at an auto-repair shop trying to assess the damage that had been done to the unfortunate vehicle. It was probably just time for the poor guy to buy a new car, Mai thought sympathetically. That car was like Bou-san's baby.

Lin pulled the van into the nearly empty lot and parked arbitrarily across from the store's entrance. Mai was the first out of the car, glad to have finally touched land after a good four-hour drive.

"Land!" She exclaimed gratefully, stretching her limbs. It wasn't a particularly bad drive. In fact, Mai usually craved for Ayako and Bou-san's noisy presences during uncomfortably quiet rides with Naru and Lin. This case, however, had been particularly stressful for some reason, and all Mai wanted was a quick nap in the backseat. Her plans were all ruined due to the fact that she was forced to sit with the bickering couple that proceeded to argue the whole way home despite several scathing remarks from Naru.

Mai was relieved when they had finally arrived back in Tokyo.

Bou-san hopped out of the van after the brunette, inspecting the old workshop wearily. The building was merely a shabby garage attached to a small office, just big enough for a desk and a sitting area. The parking lot had been so empty, they almost thought that it was closed, but the hours on the door concluded that the shop was still open for another hour. It wasn't the nicest auto repair in Japan, but it would have to do.

The garage part of the building was open, allowing the team to take a look inside. Not seeing anyone to speak to, Bou-san called out. "Hello, is anybody here?"

There was a moment of silence before Bou-san called out again. Ayako scoffed, looking around the messy shop. "Don't waste your breath, Houshou. I don't think we'll find anything _here_."

The monk sighed in frustration. "We're already here! Might as well look around and find someone."

Mai hummed softly as she wondered around the garage, ignoring the couple's bickering. There wasn't much to see, just a bunch of strange tools and car parts lying on the ground haphazardly.

Mai stood frozen after her eyes caught sight of a car in the back of the shop covered by a black tarp. Her heart suddenly went into overdrive, causing the brunette to take a minute to catch her breath.

She made her way over to the car slowly, almost approaching it as if it were some strange, wild animal, drowning out Ayako and Bou-san in the background. Everything else faded away as reached for the tarp. What on earth was this strange reaction for? It was as if her body was expecting her to find something horrifying underneath.

A hand landed on top of her own when she finally grabbed onto the black tarp. Mai gasped, turning around to run straight into her employer's broad chest. "Naru!"

"What trouble are you getting yourself into now?" the narcissist inquired condescendingly, shooting her an icy glare.

"Oh! I-I just," Mai stammered guiltily. She was sure Naru would simply tell her to mind her own business. "I just felt like this car was really suspicious for some reason. Don't you feel it?"

Naru's eyebrows creased and a frown, much different from his usual, graced his lips. "Suspicious? You were just randomly drawn to this car?"

Mai blushed, realizing his hand was still holding onto her own. "Ah, yeah. Just my weird intuition, I guess." She laughed nervously, drawing her hands behind her back and leaving Naru's hovering over the tarp.

"You're intuition is usually right, Mai," he said in a dangerously serious tone, grabbing the thick material where Mai's hand previously occupied.

"Wait!" Mai grabbed her employer's wrist, keeping him from pulling away the material to see what was underneath. A surge a fear passed through the girl's body and she shivered violently. "For some reason I'm really scared."

Naru frowned again, this time even more so. "Mai, do you usually get intense feelings like this?"

The brunette blinked in confusion before shrugging. "From time to time, yeah. But mostly on cases and stuff. Why?"

"These intense feelings or urges that you call your 'intuition' have the potential to get you into a lot of trouble, especially since you can't seem to control yourself when I'm not around," Naru explained, glaring at his assistant when she opened her mouth to argue. Although he was right, sometimes she just forgot the world around her and did reckless things. "Have these urges ever been…overwhelming?"

Mai blushed, not wanting to admit that he was right. She merely huffed and crossed her arms in an irritated fashion. "Not telling!"

"Mai."

"Ugh, fine!" The brunette caved with little persuasion, raising her hands in defeat. "Yes, sometimes it's a little…overwhelming. Why are you asking me this now?"

Clearly distraught over this information, Naru became lost in thought. "I will make you a charm that can ease the intensity of emotions and feelings that you tend pick up. That should be able to help."

"But they come in handy!" Mai argued.

"It won't completely get rid of them, Mai," Naru said exasperatedly, "The intensity of what you feel will simply be lessened. It might even lessen the signals that you seem to exude…"

"Signals?" Mai cocked her head in confusion. "What signals?"

The boy sighed. "The reason you're such a magnet for trouble is because you radiate this sort of light to other spirits. And they cling to that light because they believe it will help them pass on."

"Ohhhh," Mai breathed out, nodding her head slowly. Naru wasn't completely sure if she actually understood what he was talking about, but it was good enough for now. "So if I had been wearing the kind of charm you're talking about right now, I wouldn't have been drawn to this car?"

"You would've noticed the feelings of being drawn to it, but it wouldn't have completely taken over your senses as you seemed to let it do."

"I didn't 'let' it take over my senses!" Mai argued, her cheeks visibly reddening at his comment. As if she were some child who didn't know the difference between right and wrong. "It just sort of happens! I don't know how."

Naru rolled his eyes, finally focusing back onto the black tarp. "So what else do you get from this car?"

"I-I don't know!" The brunette exclaimed, mentally cursing him for putting her on the spot. But then other feelings began coming to her all at once. "Fear, anger, thrill, guilt…"

"Ready to see what's underneath?" Naru inquired with a raised eyebrow, tugging on the tarp for emphasis. Mai looked sick at the notion, but he was just as anxious to see what await them beneath the mysterious black tarp.

The brunette grabbed onto his sleeve for support, but remained focused mainly on Naru's hand. "As ready as I'll ever be."

Naru glanced quickly from her to the car, calmly sliding the tarp off.

And what he saw gave him such a shock, it literally knocked the wind out of him. He could feel his whole body tense at just the sight. It was a 1990 Acura NSX, the exact car that had killed his brother. It was even painted that obnoxious candy apple red that made Naru queasy at the sight.

Mai, who was paying more attention to the car than to her employer's reaction, simply frowned. She didn't understand. She had seen it happen once, but Naru had lived it over and over again. He knew it was the car that killed his brother, and one touch could give him the proof he needed.

Mai gasped at his side, her eyes as wide as saucers as her arm fell from his. "Oh my god, Naru." Had she finally connected the dots? It was faster than Naru had expected, actually.

He didn't know what to do or how to react in this situation. Was this his chance to find the person who murdered his brother in cold blood? He reached forward. He had to know for sure.

"No!" Mai exclaimed, pulling him away from the vehicle before he could make contact. "Don't do that to yourself, Naru!"

The look he gave her was unanticipated. Fear and hurt glossed over his ocean blue eyes, attempting to tell Mai how much this meant to him. "I have to know."

Reluctantly, Mai released his arm. "You deserve to know," she replied.

Without another word, Naru nodded.

This was it.

* * *

><p>So what do you guys think? Where is this going to go? Will Naru finally know of his brother's murderer? If so, how will he deal with it? NEXT TIME!<p>

Haha, I hope you guys liked the chapter!


	37. File 8: Car Troubles? :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 8: Car Troubles?

* * *

><p>Mai's heart fell. She knew immediately when his fingers brushed the smooth, polished surface of the red car. The rare expression on his face gave it away, hurt and anger and sadness washing over him all at once, relentlessly. As if Naru hadn't been through enough pain already.<p>

It seemed like they had been standing there for an eternity before Naru finally jerked underneath Mai's hold and away from the vehicle. He took a deep breath in an attempt to regain his composure, not even realizing that his assistant had a death grip on his shoulder.

"Ah, customers!"

Mai gasped at the voice's sudden intrusion into her thoughts. Looking away from her boss, Mai's eyes met those of a grey-haired man well into his fifties. He must've been the shop owner, guessing from the stained overalls he was sporting.

"She's a beaut, isn't she?" the man said, coming closer to the pair. Naru's concentrated gaze at the red car must've prompted him.

"Y-Yes, she is," Mai smiled nervously, realizing suddenly how much danger this car actually meant. Whoever the owner of the car was, was suddenly so close. They could potentially be seconds away from finding Gene's murderer.

He held out his hand for her to shake since Naru was completely oblivious to his presence, "The name is Shino."

Mai managed to stop trembling before firmly taking his hand and shaking it. "Is she yours?"

The shop owner gave a good laugh at her inquiry. "Being a car repair man doesn't grant me nearly that much, ma'am. Some woman brought her in the other day, a pretty young thing. Probably married into money seeing as she had no appreciation for the car itself."

Mai frowned. Why had someone with such a nice car and excess of money come to such an out-of-the-way, shady looking car repair? Unless there was something about the car that she didn't want people to look too deep into.

Naru spoke for the first time to the man, finally lifting his eyes off of the vehicle. "What's wrong with it?"

He looked fine, as if he hadn't just seen a vision of his twin brother being run over by the same car that sat a few inches away from him. But Mai could tell from the intensity in his gaze that he was determined. Determined to find his brother's murderer.

The repairman, though a little shocked at Naru's sudden entrance into the conversation, waved his hand like he were shooing off a bug. "Just a simple problem with the car's alignment. Must've hit a pretty big pothole. And then she let the problem go unsolved for a good year or so until she came here. Talk about under appreciation–"

"There you are!" Bou-san yelled, finally spotting them. He and Ayako joined them.

Shino smiled. "How can I help you?"

"Well, you see I was driving in the snow when…"

Bou-san's voice drifted off and Mai suddenly lost her breath when she looked back over to Naru, her eyes asking him where on earth they were going to go from here. How could they possibly catch Gene's killer and bring her to justice? Her employer seemed already deep in thought on the pressing matter.

She would definitely recognize Naru when she saw him. What would she do then? Surely she wouldn't be stupid enough to think that he was Gene and that he had survived and knew her secret?

Mai's heart skipped a beat. Would she try to kill Naru?

"You!" A high-pitched voice came suddenly.

Mai didn't even have time to turn around before she was roughly shoved into her boss' arms. The brunette gasped, not having expected the sudden motion, and glared at the woman who was now interrupting Bou-san in his conversation with Shino.

"I will not tolerate this, old man!" the woman roared, having no qualms about pushing the smaller girl out of her way. She was tall and thin with a fitting black dress and expensive looking red stiletto heels. How had Mai not heard her approaching? "Where is my car? You said it would be fixed a goddamn week ago. I even paid you extra–!"

"Excuse me," Ayako, who was tired after the whole trip and had apparently not gotten her necessary beauty sleep, stepped forward and successfully cut the blonde off. "You're just going to have to wait your turn. As you can obviously _see_, my boyfriend was clearly already engaged in a conversation with this man."

The blonde's eye twitched noticeably. Mai was waiting for shots to be fired, the tension was so thick.

"_Excuse me?_" The woman stepped closer to Ayako, the clack of her heels sounding much like a death threat.

"What she means is," Mai interrupted, wanting to have no part in the fight that seemed to be about to break out, "it will only take us a second to talk to him, if you don't mind." Never mind the fact that this stranger had shoved her so rudely; she seemed about ready to raise hell.

The stranger looked at Mai in disgust, raising an eyebrow as she talked, almost like the brunette was a lower Earth form. "Oh, but I do mind. I have been waiting for my car to be repaired for a week and I will not wait another second longer! So if _you_ don't mind, you can get the hell out of my way."

Ayako chuckled haughtily, pushing Mai behind her as if she needed protection (which, in this situation, she just might). "First of all, do _not _talk to her like that. And second of all, go to a goddamn etiquette class. How dare you walk in those stilettos like you're classy when you're just a piece of…of _trash_!"

The woman gasped almost too dramatically, and Mai was absolutely sure that a punch was going to be thrown. "You bitch–!"

Shino suddenly butt in, shaking his head at the women as if her were used to it. "You're car is, in fact, ready Johnson-san."

The woman huffed, crossing her arms. "It's about time, dammit."

The repairman wiped off his hands on the rag that hung on his belt. He pointed to where Naru was still leaning up against the red sports car, nodding. "There it is."

Mai wasn't at all shocked when a look of white panic took over the woman's face, though she quickly concealed it. To everyone's surprise, she put on a mischievous smile, sauntering over to Naru slowly.

"Well, hello there, handsome."

Mai nearly choked on her own spit. What the hell was happening? Naru, being as unpredictable as he was, smiled back at her.

"Johnson-san, was it?" he inquired politely, taking her hand and kissing it.

Before Mai's eyes could completely bulge out of their sockets, she finally realized exactly what he was getting at. He was gathering information! Not only was he touching her hand to find out if she was truly the woman who murdered his brother, but he was also attempting to find out her first name. But no matter how much of a genius plan it was, Mai would not give him the credit.

"Oh, please. Call me Kotone."

No formalities already? Weren't they getting friendly fast.

'_No, Mai, this is no time to be jealous! Especially since he's only doing it for the sake of his brother! Focus._'

"How fast can she go?" Naru inquired flirtatiously, leaning farther back onto the vehicle.

Since when did he _flirt_? Mai huffed, having to set herself straight once again. It's not like he was doing it because he wanted too, after all.

"Oh, you like to go fast?" Kotone inquired, suddenly very interested. She took a few more steps until she and Naru were chest to chest, here eyes almost directly leveled with his own blue orbs. "Maybe I can show you? Want a ride?"

The brunette's heart pounded. Was this really happening right now?

"Unfortunately, I'm busy today," Naru smirked, leaning a bit closer. "Perhaps if I got your number…"

Kotone flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, digging in her purse before taking a hold of Naru's wrist and writing down her digits with a purple pen. "Make sure you use it."

Ripping the grey tarp off of the brightly colored car's surface, she walked around the back of the vehicle and hopped into the front seat. She blew Naru a kiss through the windshield before starting the car and driving out into the street, cars honking as she cut them off.

After that, Naru's smirk turned into a grimace.

When Mai turned away from her employer, glad that the whole situation had passed and that he was still alive and well, she saw Ayako and Bou-san's jaws touching the floors. Now that she remembered, they hadn't had time to let them in on the whole story before the woman Kotone herself came and barged in on the scene.

"What. The. Hell," Ayako demanded.

"It'll all be explained later," Mai said tiredly, just as Naru headed back to the van where Lin was waiting. "We'll be in the car."

* * *

><p>"So you're saying that she's the woman that murdered Naru's brother?" Ayako said in disbelief, her eyes wide as she took a sip of herbal tea.<p>

"Jesus," Bou-san cursed, "why are you so loud, Ayako?"

"What's it matter to you?" The redhead glared at her boyfriend.

Bou-san leaned forward, looking rather dangerously serious for someone such as himself. "We need to keep this hush-hush. Who knows whose listening?"

Mai rolled her eyes. She highly doubted whatever Bou-san was about to imply.

Obviously, Ayako was on the same page as Mai. "What on earth are you babbling about now?"

"You saw how she was dressed, Ayako! That dress, those shoes; they were too nice to wear on any random occasion, such as picking up her car from a trashy repair shop. Which means that she probably dresses nice all the time. And if I know women, that means she has a very extensive wardrobe full of fancy clothes."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mai inquired, finally sitting down after cleaning the kitchen to enjoy her own cup of herbal tea.

Bou-san chuckled cockily as he usually did when he thought he had a brilliant idea. "It means that she either came from money or she married into it. And I don't know if you guys were paying that much attention, but judging from the huge rock on her right ring finger, I'd say she married into it."

Ayako blinked slowly. "How the hell did you even notice that?"

The monk grinned slyly, "I can't exactly pick up women who are married, so I'm used to checking their right ring fingers for any indicators of marriage." He soon realized his mistake.

"You realize that _I'm_ your _girlfriend_, right?" Ayako hissed, her face turning nearly as red as her own hair.

Bou-san gulped, waving his hands back and forth. "I mean, this was all in the past, of course! I just happened to notice!"

Ayako sat down once again, setting the tea cup she had been about to throw at him back onto the coffee table. Mai sighed in relief, knowing that she had just dodged another carpet stain. Huffing, the redheaded priestess continued their previous conversation. "So why does it matter that she married into money?"

Bou-san looked at her pointedly. "Assuming that she doesn't work, which she probably doesn't, what profession do you think her husband would have to keep in order to provide her with such expensive clothes, Ayako?"

With a tired sigh, Ayako counted off of her fingers, "I mean, there are a lot of things…He could be an attorney, he could work in hotel management, he could be a doctor, an engineer, actor…" She was running out of suggestions.

Bou-san shook his head, leaning forward. "Think underground."

Mai choked. Could they potentially be mixed up in something a lot more risky than they had originally thought?

Ayako raised an eyebrow. "Are we talking drugs, here?"

"Drugs, mafia, loan sharks," Bou-san shrugged. "But we don't know what they're capable of, which is why we need to be super careful. For all we know, some goons of her husband's could've followed us back to the office or already have research done on each and every member of SPR."

Mai shivered in response. "Is that really possible?"

Ayako laughed, rolling her eyes. "Of course it isn't. Takigawa is just pulling your leg, Mai."

The monk smirked. "Or am I?"

"Stop scaring her, you jerk!"

"At least I'm not–"

Mai eventually tuned the two adults out, standing from the couch. She walked over to Naru's office and gave a tentative knock before poking her head in the door. "How are you doing, Naru?"

The man sat at his desk hunched over in deep thought, the brunette assumed. He glanced up at her and waved her in. "Close that door behind you."

Mai complied and shut the door quietly, shuffling over to her employer's desk. She looked at him sheepishly. "I…I forgot to tell you something really important last night, Naru," she admitted guiltily, twiddling her fingers nervously.

He looked up at her, his ocean blue eyes suddenly so much deeper and darker and _colder_ than she remembered them. He motioned to the armchair in front of him. "Sit down, Mai."

Mai plopped into the chair. "So yesterday when I was trying to help Setou pass on...Gene appeared in my dream. He appeared, just like you said he would and he even offered to continue being my spirit guide." At remembering the dream, she couldn't help be smile. Boy, had she missed Gene.

Naru seemed to warm up at her words, relaxing into his chair a bit more. He gave a small smile as well. "I thought he would."

"But he also said something confusing, too," Mai laughed sheepishly, not sure if Naru would understand his brother's cryptic message. Then again, they were twins, so he probably would. "He told me to tell you to check your mirror, but I'm not really sure what that means…"

Naru simply looked at his assistant, shocked.

Mai stared back evenly. "What does that even mean? It seems like you understand..."

"We're twins, Mai. How can I not?" The narcissist said sarcastically. At least he had returned to his normal state of rudeness.

Mai huffed at his attitude. "So what does it mean?"

"In the physiological state that Gene is in, it is possible for him to embody things around us, such as mirrors," Naru began to explain.

"Possession?" Mai frowned.

"Similar to possession, but not quite. Because Gene and I have a special bond, it's quite different. I'm assuming he's planning on using the mirror to open up a communication channel between the two of us."

Mai nodded, sort of understanding, but not quite completely. "So basically, you can talk to him through mirrors."

"Only if he opens a connection," Naru shrugged, leaning forwards. "Do you have a compact mirror with you?"

Mai wanted to slap her forehead in anger. She never carried that kind of thing around with her, nor did she ever wear makeup. She quickly stood, coming up with a solution. "I think Ayako might have one. Want me to go ask?"

The dark haired teenager hesitated before shaking his head. "No, I'm sure I'll another opportunity soon enough. Also, I have something for you."

Something bubbled in the pit of Mai's stomach when she saw a smirk slipping onto his face. He opened a drawer of his desk to retrieve something and stood, rounding his desk until he was standing right in front of her.

"Hold out your hand," he commanded gently and placed a beautiful looking stone into the center of her palm when she complied. It was a pretty mixture of purple and yellow.

"Wow, what is it?" Mai inquired, turning it around in her hand, looking at it from different angles.

He cleared his throat, suddenly much more nervous. "It's called Ametrine. It's commonly known for dispersing negative energies."

"Oh, this was the charm you were talking about giving me to suppress the intensity of the emotions I pick up," Mai blushed bright red, embarrassed that she had thought he was giving her anything else. "Thank you so much, Naru."

"I had actually been thinking that you might need something like this, so I brought some back to Japan with me just in case." Mai stared at the stone in her hand, unable to move when she realized that Naru was close enough for her to feel his breath on her cheek. And why did he have to go and admit he had been thinking of her in England? The brunette's heart might've jumped out of her throat if he had gotten any closer. "It's not cut yet, but I was thinking you'd like a necklace."

Suddenly, Naru had taken the stone from her and was holding it up to her collarbone, his fingers leaving a trail of fire as they brushed gently against her pale skin. Mai shivered violently, goose bumps dotting her arms.

"Yeah," she said under her breath, still unable to meet his eyes, "a necklace would be pretty."

Naru slowly retreated from her, the stone still in his hands. "I'll go to a jeweler and get it set soon."

Mai laughed nervously. "They'll think it's for a girlfriend or something…"

"What's wrong with that?" her employer inquired, as if challenging her to say otherwise.

"N-Nothing!" The brunette swallowed the access saliva that seemed to be building up in her mouth and shook her head. By now she was probably beet red. "It's just kind of funny how far from the truth it is, you know?"

"Hmmm," Naru hummed, turning around and retreating behind his desk to put away the stone.

He silently returned to doing some paperwork until Mai spoke up again. "So…what exactly are you planning on doing about Kotone?"

Her narcissistic boss smirked. "I have a few ideas."

* * *

><p>WHAAAAT? So it's really happening! Will Naru and Mai overcome the challenge ahead of them? And what the hell is Naru thinking in that brain of his?<p> 


	38. File 8: Car Troubles? :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 8: Car Troubles?

* * *

><p>She planned to kill him. He knew it from the time she laid eyes on him. And after she had killed his brother in cold blood, what was to stop her from doing the same to him? Unfortunately there was no evidentiary support (that he knew of) to convict her of murdering Gene, so if he wanted to get her, he would have to do so the sneaky way.<p>

Naru only had to have the police catch her in the act of attempting to kill him. God, he knew this was the worst plan he had ever concocted, but it was the only thing he could come up with.

Naru swallowed any hints of nervousness in his system as he pulled up to the address he had received from Kotone when he had called that morning. He pulled up into a long driveway and parked right next to the red sports car.

"Okay," he said, as if reassuring himself, and exited the car. He walked up to the huge, western style house and rang the doorbell, watching as someone approached through the glass entrance.

Kotone opened the door, leaning against the frame. "Glad to see you so soon, _Shibuya-san_."

The boy smiled smartly, "You as well, Kotone-san."

"Why don't you stay and wait in the foyer while I go get my purse?"

Naru's smile immediately dropped. He hadn't expected her to actually take him on a joy ride. He expected some tea, threats, and the maybe to have a gun pulled out on him, perhaps… Unless she planned to drive him to some deserted location where she would finish him off?

"Ready?" the woman inquired excitedly, back as fast as she had left. The blonde woman gave a meaningful wink before walking passed Naru out of the door. "This should be fun."

* * *

><p>Mai felt like rolling over and dying. She had been sitting in the trunk for the past five minutes and already felt the sun's heat baking the dark vehicle from the outside. She aired her shirt out to relieve herself from the almost unbearable heat.<p>

Why the hell was she locked in the trunk of Naru's car? Well, simply sue to the fact that she knew Naru was going to do something reckless.

He had called in earlier that morning to "watch the office," because Lin was running errands and he was "going out for a bit," when Mai had a sneaking feeling that he was really going to go confront Kotone. That's why she had ran to Lin's empty office as soon as she arrived at work and dug through all of his boxes to find a super handy dandy tool; it was a tiny transmitter, only the length of the end of her pinky finger, that could stick to any object and pick up noise like a microphone, broadcasting them to a small earpiece. It was something that Naru and Lin never used, but had just in case. And Mai was grateful for that.

Before he had left the office Mai had made sure to grab his shoulder, effectively putting the microphone in place, and pull Naru in for a quick hug. He had not questioned it, luckily (and had even given her a small hug in return).

But, still…how had she gotten in this trunk again?

Well, she wasn't planning on it originally, but when she walked him down the steps and watched him head towards what was really Lin's car, but a vehicle that Naru often drove regardless of his lack of Japanese license, he had been stopped by the cute old lady that owned the tea and coffee shop below their office. Naru had already unlocked the car, and without even thinking about the consequences, Mai ran and hid in the trunk.

What an idiot, right? She was starting to think so herself, too.

She knew Naru probably hadn't completely thought his plan all the way through – how on earth would he bring justice to his brother's murder, really? – but she also knew how desperate he had seemed despite himself, which is the only reason she was lying in a baking car trunk.

After everything Naru had done for her, he at least deserved that much. And Gene, too.

But _damn_, it was hot in this car.

Mai could just barely make out Kotone and Naru's conversation over the earpiece against the static sound that she assumed to be wind. Neither of them had said anything about Gene yet, which was kind of surprising considering they were alone now. Did Kotone somehow figure out she was eavesdropping?

Mai listened harder.

"_Who exactly are you?"_

"_Who do you think I am?"_ There was no amusement in Naru's voice.

She made out Kotone's shrill laugh before the earpiece crackled again.

"_Why would I be asking if I didn't already know, Shibuya-san?"_

"_I'm sure you have some idea."_

"_I was so panicked when I first saw you."_ There was a moment of silence. _"It's kind of crazy that you look exactly like him. Who would have thought that he had an identical twin?"_

"_Smarter than you look. I thought you would've just invited me in for tea and then ended it right there. I didn't think you'd actually 'take me for a ride.'"_

"_But I can't get my carpets dirty, now can I?"_

More interference. Was the window in the car down or was it the AC?

Mai felt the car vibrate. Her eyes widened in shock, vaguely aware that her heart was about to pop out of her chest it was beating so hard. Mai quietly rolled over towards the innermost of the trunk, afraid that the lid would suddenly pop open and someone would see her. But really, why was she worried when she was sure Naru had locked the car?

The thought seemed to calm her for a moment, but soon enough a loud popping noise sounded throughout the car. The vehicle bounced as if someone was now sitting inside of it.

Had someone just broken into the car? Holy shit, someone had just broken into their freaking car.

Maybe there were robbers because Kotone lived in one of Tokyo's nicest neighborhoods? But if this was one of Japan's nicest neighborhoods, why didn't they have enough police patrolling to stop car robbers?

Mai almost gasped. What if these were Kotone's men sent to get rid of Naru's car?

The brunette held a hand against her mouth to lessen the noise of her own labored breath. What the hell was happening?

She heard muffled voices from within the car and held her ear up the wall of the trunk in hopes to hear them better.

"_How does she expect us to figure this out?"_

"_You need to get under the steering wheel, idiot!"_

"_So I pop this off?"_

"_Look, there are the wires."_

Mai managed to steady her breathing before silently praying that someone would come to save her. Naru always saved her in situations like this… "Shit, Naru. Our car is being hijacked!"

Both Naru and Kotone were silent. Mai wondered if she had missed something important, but her boss soon picked up the conversation once more. _"So this was your plan the whole time? Take me to some remote location where you can get rid of me and then dump my car in a lake to destroy the evidence?"_

Damn, he had already figured it out. Mai really needed to catch up.

"_Oh, don't act surprised,"_ Kotone said followed by a curt laugh.

"_The only thing that surprises me is your unoriginality,"_ Naru retorted.

In any other situation, Mai would've appreciated Naru's insult, but she was too wrapped up in the fact that she was locked in the trunk of a car that was currently being stolen. After a minute of trying to start the car, they (whoever 'they' is) finally succeeded and the engine sputtered to life.

She cursed under her breath as the two strangers cheered. The car started rolling out of the driveway.

So, how was she supposed to get herself out of this mess? She'd once read a book about a girl being kidnapped…but of course she had never made the escape from the car. Well, that didn't really help, did it?

She would have to be extremely quiet – they didn't know she was in the car, after all – so she would have to pop the trunk and wait for a point when the car is going slow enough to escape, but not slow enough for them to hear or feel her escape. Sounded smart enough.

Sure enough, Mai found the glow in the dark release handle and pulled on it until it clicked and the trunk popped open slightly. She watched the road from the crack, but it seemed they were going too fast for to get out now. All she had to do now was wait.

The car hijackers began to talk once again.

"_So where exactly are we going?"_

"_Lake Shōji. __She was very specific that we dump the car there, even though there are four other lakes, not to mention bigger ones, in the area.__"_

"_Why do you think?"_

"_Pretty sure it had something to do with the guy she's going to get rid of. Must be symbolic?"_

"_Why wouldn't she dump the guy himself into the lake?"_

"_She said it would be too obvious. Anyway, she was gonna off him at Tokyo Bay, Yakuza territory."_

The realization of what was happening hit Mai like a bag of bricks. No wonder Mai recognized the name of that lake! It was the one where they had found Gene's body! And now they were getting rid of their car in the same exact lake.

She had to get out and she had to do it _now._

The car came to a stop and Mai looked out of the crack to see no other cars around. They must've been driving through a residential area. When the car began moving again slowly, she quickly hopped out of the vehicle, hoping they wouldn't realize. Standing in the middle of the four-way stop, Mai waited for the car to halt and realize what had happened, but they simply continued on their way.

"Oh my god, I did it," Mai smiled, breathing heavily, and genuinely surprised that she had made it out without them noticing anything. She quickly whipped out her phone and dialed the number that she had probably called one too many times in her life.

"_Hello, Tokyo Police Department. How can I help you?"_

"Yes, hello, my friend's car has just been stolen? Yes, I can give you the license plate number. And also, I think he's in trouble. Yes, I can give you his location."

* * *

><p>Naru let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. He really needed to focus on the task at hand.<p>

They had just gotten on to Tokyo Expressway, giving him a good idea of there they now were. "What," he asked, looking over at Kotone. "Are you're going to try dumping me in Tokyo Bay in broad daylight? Gutsy."

"Close enough," the woman shrugged. "I couldn't exactly dump you in the same lake I did your brother. That would definitely have the police suspicious. But they don't like dealing with Yakuza, and Tokyo Bay is their domain."

"You really thought this through, didn't you," Naru shook his head.

"You don't usually off someone without planning it thoroughly," she said.

The narcissist looked over darkly. "You didn't for my brother."

"Exactly," Kotone suddenly yelled, her eyes wide and staring straight at Naru as she merged off on a certain exit. "It was an accident! I didn't plan it! Why would I kill him…?"

Naru had to hold his breath, but their car was luckily not hit by oncoming traffic. His eyes widened in realization. "I can't believe I never noticed it before. I was too concerned thinking about how to take revenge on you to even realize…you're a drunk. You're even drunk right now. That's why you hit Gene and that's why you hid his body instead of going to the authorities."

Tears began streaming down her face. "Are you fucking kidding me? I wouldn't have gone to the police even if I had been sober. I have a good life! I have a good husband and a good life, why would I trade that in for jail? He would've died anyway, so I put him out of his misery."

"He might've died anyway, but it was because of _you_ that he was injured in the first place. And that's what you fucking deserve – to rot in jail for driving drunk and murdering my brother. You might have peace in your life after what you've done, but me and my family will _never_ rest until you are brought to justice," Naru glared at her harder than he had ever glared at anyone throughout the entirety of his life. He wanted his gaze to burn a hole through her, to make her feel his hatred and loathing for her.

Kotone was silent. She sped onto an abandoned road that led to an empty storage yard off of the coast of Tokyo Bay. "Get out of the car," she said simply.

Naru did as he was told, and was suddenly facing Kotone with a gun in her hand. Although he had been expecting this situation on some sort of level, the prospect of a gun pointed at him was still sort of shocking. "You don't have to do this. You still have time to turn yourself in."

"I already told you," she said through her angry tears, laughing almost hysterically, "I have a good life that I wouldn't trade for anything."

Naru heaved a sigh. After all, you can't reason with stupid.

"Good bye, Shibuya-san," she said, pulling the trigger without a seconds hesitation.

Naru smiled in amusement. So she thought this would be the last of him? He used a small bit of PK in order to deflect the bullet, seemingly brushing it off like it was no big deal. A metallic clang let him know that it had hit one of the large storage units behind him.

Kotone's eyes went wide in fear. The gun in her hand shook. "W-What are you?"

"I'm the man who is going to make your life a living hell," Naru said, folding his arms.

A siren sounded shortly before a police car came into sight and pulled up next to Kotone's shiny red sports car. "Freeze! Drop your weapon, Kotone-san!"

Kotone knew that this was game over. She broke into tears, falling to her knees on the cement pavement. The gun resting in her hand was quickly kicked away by a policewoman who then arrested her and read Kotone her rights.

"Naru!" Mai, much to Naru's surprise, ran to him from the police car and enveloped him in a giant hug.

So _that's_ how the police had gotten there.

He held her at arms length and glared at her momentarily. "How did you know where we were?"

Mai froze solid, her smile turning hard. "Uhhh, you see, long story short…"

"I want the whole story, Mai," he demanded.

"Ah, well I kind of hid in the trunk of your car when you drove off to Kotone's house and I was just going to sit there and wait, but then the car got hijacked by these guys–"

Well, he had already figured that Kotone would've gotten someone to dispose of the 'evidence' that was his car, but the fact that Mai had been hidden in his trunk all along was an entirely different story. Naru's grip on her arms tightened subconsciously.

"Yes, yes, anyway, when I was in the car I heard them talking about how Kotone was going to dump you into Tokyo Bay, so I got out safely and called the police to let them know about Lin's car and that you were in trouble. And then they picked me up and took me here. Just before we got here, they said on the police radio that they had found Lin's car and had arrested the thieves," Mai took a deep breath. "All's well that ends well, right?"

"Chief, I've found something!" a random policeman yelled, looking out from the trunk of Kotone's car.

By now, Kotone had already been taken into custody and was sitting in the back of the police car. Other police and emergency vehicles had shown up at the scene and there were multiple policemen and women now surrounding Kotone's red sports car.

Naru glared at his brunette assistant. "We will talk more about this later."

They headed towards where all of the authorities were standing, looking on curiously.

An old, heavyset man, who seemed to be the chief of police, pushed through the crowd. "What is it Izaya-san?"

"There seems to be traces of dried blood soaked into the carpet back here. I'm going to need a blood analyst in forensics to look at it a bit closer, though." The man named Izaya leaned closer as if to confirm his suspicions.

"Naru do you think?" Mai searched for her boss's hand instinctively needing some sort of comfort. He simply nodded, not seeming to notice that she was even doing so.

"Good work. I need you to get Forensics on that immediately," the old man nodded, "And someone please get this Kotone women out of my sight. I need her taken in for questioning as soon as possible."

Policemen and women scattered, going about their jobs.

"Ah, you must be Naru?" the chief of police inquired, seeing as they were the only ones not in uniform.

Mai must've called him by his nickname in a state of panic when she was with the police or something. Naru glared at his assistant for the fifth time that day, but he could not truly be angry with her when she was probably the only reason he was alive at the moment.

Naru was finally able to breath a sigh of relief. Kotone was finally gone. Gene had been avenged as far as he was concerned at the moment, and as soon as they got more evidence on the 'blood' in the back of her car, the more time she was likely to spend in jail.

Despite the wooziness he felt, whether it was from using his PK earlier or from the huge weight lifted off of his shoulders, he could finally be at peace.

"Yes, that's me."

* * *

><p>Oh my god, you guys. I'm FINALLY DONE. I hope you liked it because it was a bitch to write, especially not knowing how Naru would actually act in a situation like this where he confronts his brother's murderer. Anyway, there's no way for Naru to not be out of character anyway, so I give up! Haha.<p>

Sorry it took me this long, I know you guys have been cursing me for this cliffhanger. College is literally draining the life out of me. And to top it all off I've worked almost every day this week and have some sort of virus/cold/infection. The only reason I could even finish this chapter was because I took off of work because I was too sick to go in.

Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed! Review!


	39. File 9: The Secret Garden :: 1

Behind Closed Doors

File 9: The Secret Garden

* * *

><p>There was something different about Naru. Mai couldn't quite place it, but she knew that something had changed ever since the incident. He was brighter, almost.<p>

The brunette sighed contently, watching the man's lips move up and down as words rolled off of his tongue like liquid. His deep blue eyes were hidden behind long eyelashes and dark bangs that had grown so long since he had arrived back in Japan.

He looked up in confusion, his brows knotted together and his eyes focused on only her.

"Mai?"

The brunette froze at the sound of her name, snapping out of her momentary trance. Crap! He had probably asked her a question. "Y-Yes! I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

She could tell he wanted to say something about her lack of competence, but he simply gave up and leaned back in his chair. "I asked how your necklace has been working? Do you still get overwhelming emotions from others?"

"O-Oh, no. I mean, it's working just fine as far as I can tell," Mai said, shrugging. She scratched her head in sheepish uneasiness. "I'm still not exactly sure how we're supposed to benefit from it, though… Those emotions usually help us out on cases. They're how I know who to trust and who not to."

Naru looked up at her, his gaze meaningful, before looking back to the papers on his desk. "Yes, but it raises great risks and your safety – as well as the team's – is more important than anything else."

"I don't even get how that translates to me being in danger," Mai sighed, rolling her eyes as she fell back into her chair. "Oh wait, I forgot that literally _everything_ translates into me being in danger."

"Those overwhelming emotions lower your guard and also leave your mind defenseless, Mai. Which means, you become more susceptible to being possessed and being pulled into astral projection by unwanted spirits," Naru said pointedly, glaring at his assistant. "This isn't to say that you will become invincible – it's still possible for you to be possessed or pulled into astral projections by dangerous spirits, but the stone should definitely help with it."

"What happened to getting Masako to train me?" Mai huffed.

Naru shook his head. "Masako is too busy with her actual job."

"Psh, you mean she thinks she's too good for us." Mai rested her cheek on her employer's desk, gazing up at his face. He was now looking down at some papers strewn across his desk, filling out different signatures and date lines with an infamous scowl across his face. He seemed a little bit flustered from their conversation.

The brunette couldn't help but smile at him. SPR had been through so much together – finding out about Naru's true identity, almost losing him, learning about Gene's death, finding Gene's killer (who was currently on trial). And Mai wouldn't have it any other way.

It physically hurt her to think of an outcome where she wasn't at Naru's side constantly. Her smile grew sad. Nothing good ever lasted in her life… He would eventually turn her down again – he didn't love her, after all. At this point, was there really anything she could do about it?

A tear escaped her eye and landed on the desk.

Damn, the day had started out so nice and now she was just depressing herself.

"Mai?" Naru inquired, sounding concerned.

"Yeah?" She answered, sitting up and wiping her face off.

"Are you crying?" he asked incredulously, the papers in front of him forgotten.

The brunette laughed sheepishly. "Nah, I just have something in my eye probably."

"Probably?" He looked at her in disbelief. "Mai, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, really," Mai waved off his concern, standing up. It was about time she actually got back to work.

"_Mai._" He stood up as well, almost looking as if he was about to stop her from leaving the room, but he remained painfully rigid.

"It's nothing, I promise!" she exclaimed, pretending to be exasperated. "Anyway, I'm going to go make some more tea. We have a client coming in for a meeting in 10 minutes." The brunette left the room hastily, taking a deep breath and leaning against the other side of the office door.

She smiled sadly, looking down at her feet. "I don't think you'd be able to help me, anyway."

* * *

><p>Blue eyes and dark hair, just like Naru. Was she a foreigner?<p>

"There's no need to be shy…" Mai said kindly as she sat with her pencil posed and ready. Due to Lin's imposing aura that sometimes scared off potential clients (as if Naru didn't already do that himself), she had recently taken over his job as note-taker. Naru sat at her side, looking completely bored out of his mind as usual.

"Takahashi, R-Rena." The girl in front of them was probably around Mai's age, but she seemed so intimidated by the whole situation that she looked like a small animal. "I don't really know what I'm supposed to say…"

Naru gave an audible sigh, earning himself a hard nudge from his assistant. "It's fine if you're nervous. Why don't you just tell us a little about what kind of paranormal phenomena you've encountered?"

"Well…I guess I should start off by saying that everything started on my 18th birthday. The room next to mine used to be my sister's. She's been gone for two years…but recently I've been hearing noises in there at night when I'm trying to go to sleep," Rena started slowly, taking a deep breath. "It started off as footsteps, so I originally thought it was my parents walking down the hallway. But it recently escalated to banging and cracking noises, like someone was throwing things at the walls."

Naru watched Mai intently as she looked up from her note taking. "And you've gone in the room to check?"

"Everything is exactly where it should be whenever I go look…" Rena sighed. "Please help me! I haven't gotten more than three hours of sleep in the past week. I tried to tell my parents that we need to do something, but they don't even believe that anything's happening. They were totally against me coming here today."

"Hmm," Mai hummed, still taking notes.

Naru narrowed his eyes at the young girl before them. "And you suspect the cause is your sister?"

Rena stiffened.

Mai looked at Naru, surprised that he had spoken. She blushed, not realizing that she was the one asking all of the questions.

"Well, all of the things that have happened certainly point in that direction…" Rena said sheepishly.

"Has there been more activity than what you've heard coming from her room?" Naru inquired.

"Well…recently just being inside the house makes me feel nauseous. So one day I went in the back yard to clear my head and…my parents think I'm completely delusional, but…I swear I saw her ghost in the garden. It was probably Akemi's favorite place; she hated being in the house. And…it's also where she committed suicide."

Mai nearly dropped the notepad. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Rena said, shaking her head. "It seems like it was so far away, but it was only two years ago. She was only 18 years old, too."

"And all of these phenomena started on your 18th birthday?" Naru asked, having picked up on something.

Mai's eyebrows shot behind her bangs in shock. Sure enough, when Mai looked down at her notepad it was written at the very top of the page. How had Naru remembered that?

Rena nodded solemnly. "Everything seems to point back to my sister. But I don't understand _why_. Why would she haunt me like this?"

Mai pulled her notepad to her chest, her heartstrings sufficiently tugged. She stood, quickly seating herself next to Rena and throwing a comforting arm around the girl's shoulders. "It's hard to accept, I know. But it's important to understand that once someone dies, his or her spirit changes over time and picks up on the positive and negative emotions in the area. It's possible that Akemi isn't the same Akemi that you once knew."

Rena eyes watered dangerously. "What negative emotions? We were a happy family!"

Naru stood from the couch to leave.

"Naru!" Mai called, now consoling the crying Rena. "Where are you going?"

"Back to my office," he said nonchalantly.

"And the case?" she asked angrily, about to throw her notepad at his face. How dare he just leave like that!

"I am declining it," was his simple answer. "She probably has no money to pay, anyway."

"I only have 10,000 yen, but please – please help me!" Rena cried even harder.

Naru looked almost sympathetic, but soon replaced it with a look of indifference. "I'm sorry. I am refusing your case."

Mai got red in the face, standing up to follow Naru in her rage. "What are you doing?! Is money all that you care about?"

Naru glared at her, shutting his office door in her face.

The brunette's mind went blank with fury as she threw her notepad at his door. "Asshole!"

This wasn't like him. This wasn't her Naru. He wasn't this cold-hearted, so what was it? Why had he rejected this poor girl's case? If Mai had been convinced that money was the real reason Naru had rejected the case, she would've quit right then and there. But there must've been something else…

Meanwhile, Naru leaned with his back against his office door, not even wincing as Mai's notepad came into contact with its wooden surface on the other side.

He let out a shaky breath, looking into the mirror on the other side of the wall.

"Gene."

* * *

><p>"Taniyama-san, are you sure about–?"<p>

Mai hefted the large bag of her belongings from the back of the car. "It's fine," she said with a comforting smile. "I want to do this for you. I don't know what his problem is, honestly."

Rena looked sympathetically at the brunette. "It must be tough to have a crush on a guy like him."

Mai nearly dropped the bag as she went to put it on her shoulder. "W-What would make you think – What?"

Rena threw her head back in laughter. "It's pretty obvious."

"Stop with the girl-talk and get to work!" Takigawa said, trying sound upset with the pair of girls as he shut the driver-side car door and walked up to them.

Mai almost laughed at his awful imitation of Naru. "That was horrible."

"I tried," the monk shrugged with a laugh, swiftly stealing the bag from Mai's shoulders.

"Hey!"

"I'm not like that rude, work-a-holic! How could I let such lovely ladies carry heavy luggage?"

"That's never stopped you before," Mai retorted with a smile, picking up a smaller looking bag from the trunk. She knew Bou-san was just trying to cheer her up after the whole Naru situation.

She'd gone to his house after the incident and had told them the story and her plan to get back at him by investigating without telling him. Bou-san had originally advised against her going through with it, knowing how angry Naru would be when he found out. But who could deny that teary face?

Rena smiled, picking up the last bag from the trunk and shutting it afterwards. "Are these all of the materials you'll need? Doesn't seem like a lot."

Mai waved off her concern. "Oh, this is just the beginning. It's mainly Bou-san's charms and stuff for any rituals he might have to perform, and then I managed to sneak some EMF detectors and recorders from the office. Our team's priest John agreed to talk to our medium Masako to get some monitors and cameras. He said he could be here sometime today in the afternoon."

"Ohhh," Rena said with an understanding nod, following the brunette into the suburban house. "Well, welcome to my humble abode! It might be a tight fit, Mai, so I hope it's not a problem if you sleep in my room."

"No, not at all!" Mai said, taking in her surroundings with a grin. It was a happy looking house, a bit dingy, but looked full of good memories. She put her bag down where Bou-san had left his by the living room couch, and continued to explore while Rena put on a kettle of tea.

This might be a good opportunity to…

But hadn't Naru said that it was dangerous to take off the necklace? Though, now that she thought about it, nothing too bad had ever happened to her before she had the necklace. What harm could it do?

Mai unclasped the chain around her neck, automatically feeling a noticeable difference. Her breath caught in her throat; the house, which originally looked happy, seemed to have a dark veil of smoke clouding the inside.

Mai physically began coughing. She waved the area round her face so that she could breath in some fresh air, but she only continued to choke. A second later, she realized through the fogginess of her mind that she had managed to make it outside of the house.

"There you go." A large hand was rubbing at her back, patiently waiting for her to revert to breathing normally.

"Jesus," Mai gasped, finally able to stand up straight after a few minutes.

Takigawa let out a relieved sigh. "What on earth happened back there? You were completely fine one second and then all of a sudden you just…"

"Started choking?" Mai finished the question for him. She held up the chain that Naru had given her. "I took off this necklace and then everything just got really smoky, like there was a legitimate fire or something."

"Yeah, I could kind of feel that too." Bou-san took the pendant in his hand and examined it closely. "But like…what is it?"

"I don't really know. Something that Naru gave me." Mai shrugged, looking at the stone more closely as well. How did such a small object have such a strong ability? It had blocked out literally all of the negative feelings of the house, which there seemed to be a lot of despite what Rena had said about having a 'happy' household.

Bou-san smirked at her. "So was it a declaration of his undying love for you? Or does it have a more important purpose? Oh, or both?!"

Mai slapped his arm. "Shut up, you know he doesn't like me like that."

"I wouldn't be so sure," the monk said, winking.

The brunette rolled her eyes with a sigh. "He said it would help repress the negative or overwhelming emotions that I tend to sense sometimes. He said it was safer for me that way. But I didn't know it would block out all of them!"

"Well, I would put it back on if I were you. How are you going to be able to investigate if you can't even walk into the house without choking?" He whispered, smiling upon Rena's arrival outside.

"Is everything okay? I heard you coughing, Mai. I can get you some cough medicine if you want?" She inquired, leaning against the doorframe in concern.

"I think she's going to be fine. A nice cup of hot tea is what she really needs, right Mai?" Bou-san suggested, taking the necklace from Mai's hands and clasping it around her neck once again.

"Yeah…"

The golden-purple stone reflected beautifully in the sunlight and suddenly Mai couldn't help but wish that Naru had given it to her as something other than a protective charm.

* * *

><p>"I knew it!" Mai exclaimed, after she had swallowed her food. She gave a smug smile. "I could tell by the eyes that you were foreign. So where is your family from?"<p>

The girl across the table laughed. "My mom is from America and my dad is from Japan, but I was born and raised in the U.S. so I can speak English, too," She said with a smile.

Mai huffed. "That's awesome! I wish I could speak English because then I would be able to understand what Naru and Lin talk about behind my back!" Mai quickly finished her food and she and Takigawa thanked their host for cooking for them.

"Speaking of your parents, Rena-chan, where are they?" Bou-san asked curiously, looking around the room. If they were there, he hadn't seen them since they arrived at the house hours earlier. "We haven't seen them since we got here."

"Oh," Rena shrugged nonchalantly, "They're always busy and never home, especially since Akemi passed away two years ago. I practically live alone."

Mai frowned. "But that's horrible!"

"No, I mean, I understand that they're busy and everything…I do miss them, though." The doorbell rang, and Rena stood hastily. "That must be your friend, John-san, right?"

A few seconds later John had been ushered in by a suddenly flushed-looking Rena. He set the box he was holding onto the floor and smiled. "Nice to meet you, I'm John Brown," he said, his Kansai accent undeniably strong as he politely offered his hand to their hostess.

Bou-san smiled and waved him over, pulling a chair out from under the western-style breakfast table. "John, come sit down! We were just discussing how Rena-chan is originally from America."

"Eh, really!" The priest flashed a bright smile, causing the girl's blush to become even darker. "I'm from Australia! _Do you speak English?_"

"_Y-Yes!_" As John and Rena sat down at the table, the younger girl seemed to lean dangerously close to the blond priest. "_Australia seems like such an interesting place. What's it like there? Where did you live?_"

Mai looked over at Bou-san in confusion as the two continued their conversation, completely oblivious to the world around them. "What are they talking about? You can understand them, right?"

The monk rolled his eyes. "They're talking about Australia. Anyway, don't you have something else to be worried about?" He looked at her pointedly, waiting for a response.

"Huh?" Mai's face scrunched up in even further confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Bou-san smiled, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "Oh, I was just thinking about Naru's potential reactions to your disappearing act."

Mai blanched upon his words, her stomach suddenly upset with her. Why, oh, why did Bou-san have to mention _his_ name? Now she felt sick. "I'd prefer not to think about it, honestly."

The monk shrugged. "I just think you should be prepared for what he's going to do."

"D-Do you think he'll fire me?" While she wished she were joking about the suggestion, she knew Naru wasn't above it…

"Not with that puppy dog face, he won't," Bou-san said shrewdly.

"Please," Mai said with hilarity, leaning back in her chair. "I'm seriously worried, though. I just…I had to do something, you know? I couldn't just leave her with no one to turn to…"

Bou-san folded his arms in serious thought. "What if he was just using the money as an excuse not to take the case? We all know that Naru's not _that_ harsh. So maybe there was another reason…?"

Mai jumped up, successfully surprising Rena and John out of their conversation. "I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday!"

"Thinking what?" Rena inquired curiously, turning away from the blond priest.

Now Bou-san was putting on his detective face. "Do you think it's reminding him of Gene?"

Disappointment fell over the brunette's features. "But…you don't think that Naru would ever regret finding Gene, do you? So why wouldn't he accept the case to help Akemi pass on?"

The monk sighed. "Ugh, I don't know. I'm too tired to think of this right now."

Mai let out a sigh, turning to Rena with an exhausted smile. "Maybe it's time to head off to bed?"

"Yeah, you're right," the dark-haired girl smiled, leading them upstairs.

Was Naru okay?

* * *

><p>I'm sorry this took so long, guys! I'm actually in the middle of three part-time jobs and school and I can't seem to handle everything. Anyway, please leave reviews if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, and I will be sure to get started on the next chapter very soon!<p> 


	40. File 9: The Secret Garden :: 2

Behind Closed Doors

File 9: The Secret Garden

* * *

><p>"<em>Help me!"<em>

Who…?

"_Help me!"_

Who was that? Who kept saying that?

"_Please…I don't want to die! I don't want to be alone anymore!"_

Mai's eyes opened wide with shock as she recognized that the words were coming from her own lips. Wherever she was, it was almost too hot and damp for her to breathe.

"Where am I?" she found herself asking, her hair wet with sweat sticking to her face as she looked around. The brunette was lying on a dirty floor next to someone else. From the looks of it, they were in some sort of basement.

In an attempt to sit up, Mai was suddenly held back by something. With horrified realization, she tugged at the chains that bound her wrists, her breathing becoming fast and shallow.

She looked over at the body that was next to her. It was another girl…she was so motionless. Was she dead?

But Mai recognized that straight, black hair and that tattered, dirty kimono.

"Masako?"

* * *

><p>"Mai! Mai are you alright?"<p>

Her first instinct was to take a deep breath. The air was so fresh, she gasped for it desperately upon regaining consciousness. It wasn't hot or damp like before, in that horrible basement.

"I'm fine," she whispered, closing her eyes once again. Where had Gene been? Why hadn't he shown up?

"You're soaked!" Rena continued to worry, "Did you take a shower? You got the futon all wet!"

Mai was suddenly awake, her eyes wide in shock. She _did_ feel wet! The brunette sat up and looked down at her nightshirt, surprised to find it sticking to her stomach. She blushed crimson, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes as she quickly retreated to Rena's bathroom in embarrassment and fear.

Mai slunk to the tile floor. Even though she had only experienced the situation in her dreamscape, the sweat on her skin helped hit home how real it actually was. That sort of thing had really been done to someone else – probably someone who used to live in this house.

"Mai, are you okay?" Rena asked quietly from outside of the door.

"Yeah, I'm okay." The brunette wiped away her tears. "I'm sorry for getting your sheets wet…I promise I didn't pee." Mai laughed.

She could hear the smile in Rena's voice. "I thought maybe you slept walked into the shower or something. Do you want to tell me about your dream?"

Just the mention of the dream made Mai tremble. Desperation, hopelessness, and above all else, loneliness filled Mai. These were the feelings projected to her during the dream. Her bottom lip quivered and she shook her head. No, she didn't want to talk about it – but she had to. She was the boss now, not Naru, and she had to solve this case.

She opened the door hesitantly, allowing the light from the bathroom to flood out into Rena's tidy room. "Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"Yeah," the other girl nodded kindly. "Tell me all about it."

* * *

><p>"You had a dream?!" Bou-san inquired, looking up from his breakfast.<p>

"Yes…It was a pretty bad one this time," Mai said with a sigh, yawning into her cup of hot tea. "Rena woke me up before it was over, though."

"I didn't know what to do," Rena said defensively. "You just stopped breathing in your sleep! So I did the only thing I could think of."

"You stopped breathing?" John nearly dropped his glass of water in concern. "Mai, how bad was this dream?"

"I mean, it wasn't the worst I've ever had…but whoever that person was…I was having their feelings and physical ailments projected onto me…" Mai paused, her lips forming a sad smile.

"So…do you want to tell us how it went?" Bou-san encouraged.

Mai took a deep breath, nodding. "I kept hearing this voice – they were asking for help, saying that they didn't want to be alone anymore – but then I realized that I was the one saying those things. As I realized this, I woke up in some sort of basement. It was so hot my clothes were soaked through with sweat."

"Which explains why you were all wet when I woke you up," Rena mentioned.

Mai nodded, "I realized that I was lying next to someone, but when I tried to sit up to find out who it was, I was held back. My wrists were chained to the wall behind me…" She bit her lip hard.

Rena sat next to her in order to console her if needed. She rubbed Mai's back in soothing motions. "It's okay."

"The person next to me was so motionless, I'm sure she was already dead. I could only see the back of her head, but she had straight, black hair and she was…she was wearing a worn kimono."

John frowned. "Masako?"

Tears welled up in Mai's eyes. "I think so. She was dead…right there in front of me…and I couldn't help her."

John went to Mai's opposite side, giving her his best smile. "Mai, it was a dream. I understand that you empathize with the spirit that projected these images and feelings to you, but the only thing we can do is help them move on and say a prayer for them. You can't beat yourself up over something that you couldn't avoid. Right?"

Bou-san rubbed the stubble on his chin. "What doesn't make sense to me is that we came here to investigate Akemi's spirit. She committed suicide, right? If so, these dreams don't match up at all."

Rena frowned. "That's true…I didn't even think about that…"

"It just means that there's a lot more to this case than we think…" Mai explained, wiping her eyes vigorously. She was the boss on this case and bosses didn't cry, right? Naru never cried or complained or acted weak, so neither would she. "Bou-san, I want you to set up the monitors in the guest room – that will be our base. John, I want you to take temperatures and place cameras in Akemi's room, the hallway outside of her room, and outside facing the garden. I'm going to take room measurements since we don't have a blueprint to work off of. Everyone good?"

Rena raised her hand sheepishly. "What about me? I want to help."

Mai blinked, dumbfounded. "Well, if you really want to…you can go with John. He has the most equipment to carry around, so he could use an extra hand."

"What do you mean _he_ has the most equipment?!" Bou-san argued almost immediately. He glared at the blond priest playfully. "Tsk. Whatever."

John laughed, holding his stomach.

The blush on Rena's face nearly made Mai burst out in a fit of laughter. She said Mai had picked a tough guy to fall in love with, but Rena had chosen the second toughest: a priest. Mai now knew the truth – he wasn't _actually_ a priest, though he somehow had permission to perform exorcisms – but she could tell by the way he acted that he still didn't know how to deal with the opposite sex.

They all went their separate ways – Mai to take measurements, John and Rena to set up cameras, and Bou-san to the base to (reluctantly) set up monitors.

"So Mai always gets dreams like those?" Rena wondered aloud, walking beside the priest. "Is she psychic?"

"The way Naru explained it to us is that Mai has 'latent ESP'. She can sense when people and things are dangerous, and she's very intuitive. She has post-cognitive visions, clairvoyance, and has also astral projected before. Usually her dreams hold information relevant to the case," John said with a smile.

Rena looked down at her feet. "She seemed so normal."

The priest laughed. "Well, she is normal!"

The girl blushed. "Is everyone that works at SPR psychic?"

"No, not necessarily," John said, deep in thought. He held his finger up as if to emphasize his next point. "But we all have different talents!"

"Tell me about them!" Rena asked, hoping that it would fill some of their time together. She didn't want to run out of topics to talk about and she also liked the sound of his voice (and his Kansai accent).

"Okay, well…first we have our boss, whom every one calls Naru. Although he seems very cold and rough around the edges, he really cares for everyone at SPR, especially Mai. He's a very powerful psychic, although his powers seem to take a great toll on his body so he rarely uses them."

"Really?" Rena asked with genuine shock as she followed John outside of the house to set up the first camera facing the garden. "Is he the most powerful of everyone in SPR?"

John nodded seriously, "By far! Then we have his original assistant Lin, who is almost as cold as Naru, if not more so. Lin has the widest range of talents out of all of SPR, I suppose. He's a very powerful onmyouji who can perform exorcisms, summon spirits, and even control captured spirits or shiki. And he's probably the tallest person I've ever met."

Rena laughed at the last comment. "Okay, so what about Bou-san?"

"Bou-san is a very skilled Buddhist monk. Although he can't exorcise people without hurting them, like I can, his specialty is exorcising items and places using chants. He's one of the more powerful members in SPR, and usually takes the lead on cases when Naru is unavailable."

"He's seems so carefree!" Rena said, watching John set up a tripod for the camera.

"He is most of the time, but he does know how to get down to business when it's necessary. He's also very protective over Mai, since she's so accident prone."

Rena smiled. "As if I hadn't noticed."

"After Bou-san would be Masako, the girl Mai dreamt about. She and Mai are usually at odds with each other, probably because they both like Naru, but I think they've also bonded over that fact. Masako is a spirit medium and psychic, though her powers are the hardest to pin down. She can see spirits and sense their shape, but these spirits can fool her sometimes, or the context in which she sees these spirits may not make sense with the case at hand, much like Mai's dreams."

"Is this Masako everyone keeps talking about _the_ Masako Hara?" Rena inquired, surprised. "I mean, that's incredible! To think that you guys actually work with a famous medium like her."

"Yes, we get that reaction a lot!" the priest laughed, positioning the camera. "After Masako is Ayako, a self-styled Shinto priestess."

Rena cocked her head curiously. "What does it mean to be self-styled?"

"Oh, it simply means that Ayako taught herself everything she knows, or that she went through unprofessional or unofficial training. In the beginning, Ayako seemed to be really unreliable in exorcisms so everyone doubted her powers. It turns out that she can only use them when she's around healthy trees, which aid her in her exorcisms. And Naru doesn't seem to doubt the strength of her protective charms, either, so they must do something."

"Tree spirits? No way." Rena laughed. "That sounds ridiculous!"

John smiled. "It does, which is why she refused to divulge information about her powers until a time when she could actually use them. She thought we would make fun of her if she told us, but it was actually true! We were all shocked when she used them."

"How many more people work for SPR?"

"All that's left are our researchers, Yasuhara and Madoka. I'm pretty sure that neither of them have powers, anyway. They're both very funny and like to joke around a lot, so they make things a bit more lighthearted."

"And that's it?" Rena inquired.

"Yup!" the blonde said happily.

Once John was done positioning the camera, Rena voiced over their walky-talky, "Is this angle good, Bou-san?"

"_Clear. Move on to the next one_," Bou-san's voice crackled over the device.

"But aren't you forgetting someone, John?" Rena asked, following the priest inside. "You talked about everyone in SPR except yourself!"

"M-Me?" John blushed, scratching the back of his head in thought. "I'm not all that important, really...The only thing I can really do is perform exorcisms, but there are many people in SPR that can exorcise other than myself."

Rena smiled at his modesty. "Didn't you say earlier that you were the only one who could perform exorcisms on people without hurting them? I'd say that's a really important quality."

John's blush turned crimson. "You think?"

Rena laughed. "Of course! What's the point in having a whole bunch of exorcists if none of them can exorcise a person, especially without harming them?"

The priest joined in on her laughter, "I guess you're right."

They walked all the way down the hallway, placing the camera down on the table at the very end and setting it up with ease. "So, I have a question. If the sounds in Akemi's room bother you so much, why not move yourself into the guest room? It's practically all the way across the house. I'm sure you wouldn't hear them from there," John inquired out of curiosity.

Rena, in charge of taking the temperature, set the thermometer down on the table and stood by John as he fixed the wires of the camera behind the table. Suddenly she wondered why she never had. Surely, the though had crossed her mind before. "Maybe…maybe I'm afraid to let go? Maybe I don't want her to be lonely?"

The thermometer beeped and Rena took note of the temperature. "Twenty-four degrees Celsius." Once she saw that John was done messing with the camera, she called Bou-san over the walky-talky. "How's the angle on this one?"

"_Clear. Next is Akemi's room._"

John glanced at her, his smile a bit sad. "I know, it's hard to let them go even after they've passed." He walked over to the door that led to Akemi's room. "Are you sure you want to stay for this?"

Rena blushed at his concern. "Yeah! I'm fine, really."

They walked into the older sister's room. The air was still and dust particles could be seen against the sun rays that entered through slightly open blinds. Almost everything was blue – the walls, the bedspread, the rug – it was Akemi's favorite color. Rena felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her.

She sighed, smiling tiredly, "Looks like I have to dust in here again..."

"Well, nothing seems out of place," John said thoughtfully. He went over to the opposite side of the room to set the camera up so that it was facing the wall that separated Akemi and Rena's rooms while Rena preoccupied herself by taking the temperature.

"It never does…I constantly poke my head in to check and see if everything is okay, and it's always the same."

"Bou-san, is this camera good?" John inquired over the walky-talky.

"_Yep. You guys are good._"

The thermometer beeped, and Rena turned away from the priest to write down the temperature. "It's the same in here; twenty-four degrees Celsius."

The thermometer beeped again. Rena raised an eyebrow, scratching out what she had already written. "Never mind. It's twenty-three degrees Celsius."

John's eyes widened. "It lowered?"

Rena shrugged, looking at the priest in confusion. "Maybe it's broken?" The reading on the thermometer lowered again, followed by another beep.

"No," the blond said doubtfully. "We need to leave."

"What? Why?" Rena frowned. The thermometer continued to beep more frequently, the room suddenly becoming an icebox. Across the room a picture fell from the wall, shattering upon it's impact with the ground.

Bou-san's voice crackled over John's walky-talky. "What are…doing?! You guys need…get out…there!"

John reached for the doorknob and twisted it, but it refused to budge. "We're locked in!"

Rena hugged herself, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. "What's happening?"

Bou-san had finally reached the room and pulled on the door handle vigorously. "Are you guys okay?" His muffled voice held obvious concern.

A lamp from across the room lifted into the air and her eyes became as wide as saucers. She screamed as it flew in her direction, but it missed her by a narrow margin and shattered against the wall behind her.

Soon after, a chair came flying in her direction. John quickly shielded her, holding her head protectively against his chest. Rena winced, feeling the impact of the chair against the priest's body.

John kept his teeth clenched, refusing to let a curse slip out, and he turned around unable to hide his anger. After quickly making the sign of the cross, he held his hands together in prayer. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made…"

Other items that seemed to be levitating in the room suddenly dropped as John continued to pray. The room temperature returned to normal and the door swung open, causing Bou-san to fall backwards. "I'm too old for this, dammit," the monk complained.

John fell to his knees out of breath.

Rena kneeled next to him as Mai suddenly appeared outside of the room. "What happened?! Are you guys okay?"

Rena sniffed, holding the back of John's head in her hand. "I'm fine, but John…he protected me! He was hit by a chair…"

The remains of which lay broken into pieces on the floor…

"I'm fine," the priest laughed sheepishly, but he cringed as he attempted to stand up.

"No, you're not!" Rena argued, still teary-eyed.

Bou-san stood in the threshold of the messy room, a pained look on his face. "Is everyone just going to ignore 'that'?"

Mai glared back at the monk. "Ignore what?"

"_'That'!_" the bassist insisted, pointing across the room.

Written on the wall in blood was the word '_die_'.

* * *

><p>DID YOU GUYS SEE HOW FAST I PUT THIS UP? I took off of work this weekend to study for finals, but I'm doing this instead haha! Anyway, I was suddenly really inspired to write and I had everything planned out in my head, so I just went with it and here it is. Please let me know what you think in the review section!<p> 


	41. File 9: The Secret Garden :: 3

Behind Closed Doors

File 9: The Secret Garden

* * *

><p>"…<em>Hello? Mai?<em>"

The brunette sighed in relief. Even though it had only been a dream, the attack earlier was so violent that Mai was afraid the spirit really had gotten to Masako somehow. "Masako, how are you?"

"_I'm fine… Is everything alright?_" the medium inquired, sounding concerned.

"Oh," Mai blushed. Of course, Masako probably thought she was calling about work. "No, I was just thinking about you! It seems like we haven't seen each other in a while."

The mediums sighed. "_Work has been terrible. I haven't had a free day to myself since…well, I can't even remember._"

Mai frowned. "You're at a shoot right now, too?" Although Masako seemed fragile, she must've been pretty resilient to be able to go weeks on end with no rest.

"_Unfortunately. We're taking a lunch break right now._"

"Kind of late for lunch," Mai commented before realizing that she and her team were also taking somewhat of a lunch break as well. "Well, I won't keep you any longer!"

"_Mai,_" Masako paused. "_Are you sure everything is alright?_"

Mai smiled, clutching the phone tighter. "I'm sure. Anyway, good luck at work!" She hung up before the medium could speculate any further.

Bou-san smirked, taking a bite from his sandwich. "Still worried about Masako?" he inquired.

Mai and Masako were still getting used to being cordial with each other. It seemed the medium had moved her attentions from their narcissistic boss and onto other, more deserving subjects. Showing her concern for the doll-like girl was still slightly embarrassing though.

Mai blushed, setting her phone on the table roughly. "You should chew with your mouth closed, you know?"

Meanwhile, John was watching over Rena. "Are you sure you're fine?" he asked, gently rubbing her back.

"Yeah," Rena said, smiling away the priest's concern. "Besides, you're the one that got hit with a chair! We should take a look to see if there's any damage."

John blushed, waving his arms in protest, "No, I'm fine, really!"

"You should be more honest," Rena said with a fake pout.

Mai watched as Rena sipped her tea with shaking hands. She looked at her watch; it was already three in the afternoon and Rena had yet to calm down. I mean, who could blame her, though?

Speaking of which, she was also feeling a little antsy herself. Not once had Naru called her about the shift that she had not come in for that morning. Was he mad at her? Was he not expecting her to show up? Mai shook her head. The more she thought about it, the more upset it made her.

Her phone rang, causing her to jump. The caller ID told her that it wasn't Naru, but Yasuhara. He was probably calling to give her information on the house that she had requested.

"Hey, Yasu," she greeted tiredly. "What did you find out?"

"_Hey Mai, it's nice to hear from you, too! My day has been fine. How about yours?_" the sarcastic voice came.

"Get to the point, please," she said with frustration, suddenly wondering if this was how Naru felt when dealing with the lighthearted college student.

"_You know, I'm feeling some resentment in your tone,_" Yasuhara joked.

"Yasuhara," she attempted again, using her most threatening tone.

"_Okay, fine. Am I on speaker?_"

Mai hastily pressed the speakerphone button, laying the device on the table so everyone in the room could hear. "Go ahead."

"_So apparently that house was built sometime in the mid-1970s. The original homeowner was an old man and his wife, who occupied the house for around 14 years until the husband died from old age. A few months after it went on the market, a young family of four moved in. They only stayed 6 years before they moved again, probably because the father had an international job. Afterwards, the market prices on houses in the area skyrocketed. Apparently no one thought the house was worth the price, so it stayed on the market for a good 5 years before a single mother and her only daughter bought it. They only lived in the house for 2 years before moving out, claiming that some weird things were happening. It remained empty until the Takahashi family bought it eight years ago in 2006, and they've lived there ever since._"

"Yasuhara, do you have the names of these other families? Also, the second to last family – the single mother and daughter – what weird things did they claim happened?"

"_I do have the names; I'm about to email them to you right now. Unfortunately, I was unable to find out the reason that they moved. I found their contact information and tried to ask them, but apparently the mother has gone senile with early onset dementia and the daughter who takes care of her refused to talk about it_," he said with slight frustration in his voice.

"Have you done any research on these individual homeowners?" Mai inquired, tapping her fingers on the table in thought. "Do any of them seem suspicious? It seems that no one reported anything strange until after the family of four moved out…"

"_Yeah, I did some research on them, but they seem to check out alright," Yasuhara explained. "You said your dream was something out of a horror movie about kidnappers or serial killers, right? Statistically, the average serial killer is a male in his mid-twenties to mid-thirties. None of the homeowners match this profile._"

"Right, but that's not to say that the culprit is someone that does match that profile," Bou-san suggested.

"_True_," Yasuhara admitted.

"What if the killer is not one of the homeowners, then?" John suggested. "While it's plausible that the most typical suspect would be one of the homeowners, it's also possible that the killer could be someone completely unrelated to the house."

"There was a long gap in between two of the families…the family of four and the family that said they were experiencing strange things. Maybe something happened then?" Rena pondered.

"_Well, that's all I have for you at the moment, Mai. I'm sure once you go to sleep, you'll gain more clues about the case_," Yasuhara encouraged.

Mai took the phone off of speaker mode and held it up to her ear. "Thanks again for your help, Yasu."

"_Speaking of which, what are you doing on a case without the Big Boss?_"

The brunette blushed, looking away from the rest of the group. "It's a long story…I'll talk to you about it later."

"_I need details!_" the boy demanded loudly. She could almost hear the glee in his voice.

"Okay, I promise to tell you the next time I see you!"

In all honesty, Naru might have murdered her by then. Mai chuckled to herself and hung up on the college student before he could get any more information out of her. Yasuhara was sly like that.

John, Bou-san, and Rena were engrossed in their own conversation when the doorbell rang moments later. Mai jumped out of her seat. "I'll go get it!"

She opened the door and nearly had a heart attack at the person who greeted her.

"_Mai._"

The brunette nearly slammed the door in her boss' face. She had never heard her him sound so upset in his life. The very tone of his voice sent shivers up her spine.

"Naru?!" Mai fought to breathe, forcing herself to inhale. Afraid that the others would hear, she stepped out into the chilly air, leaving the door only slightly cracked. "W-What are you…? How did you…?"

"You are even more of an idiot than I already thought," he scolded, grabbing her wrist in his hand and squeezing tightly as he pulled her closer. She looked down at her feet in embarrassment at his heated insult. "You don't show up for work this morning and leave to investigate a case without the proper equipment or protection?"

"You're hurting me," she whimpered, pulling away from him.

Naru quickly released his assistant's wrist, realizing that he was being too rough with her. But upon second glace, Naru took her wrist again. "What is this?"

He held up her arm, inspecting the bruises and scabs around her wrist. His expression grew even darker than before.

Mai blushed furiously, snatching her arm away. Those were injuries that she had gotten from her dream earlier that morning – something Naru needed to know nothing about. She hadn't told anyone about them yet, and her long sleeves were doing their job of hiding them successfully. "It's nothing you need to be concerned with!"

"You got them from your dream," he stated, sounding momentarily shocked.

How had he…?

Mai blanched. "How dare you use psychometry on me!"

Naru drew closer to her, now grabbing a hold of the brunette's other arm. "You have a _lot_ of explaining to do."

"And so do you!" Mai exclaimed, ripping away from him as he tried to pull her from the house. "How did you find me here? How did you know the address?"

"Gene told me," Naru said dangerously. "And believe me, that information did not come cheap."

Mai's lip quivered. Gene had betrayed her, that idiot!

She looked up at him with fire in her eyes. "Please leave, Naru. Since you refuse to investigate Rena's case, I will," she said with indignation. "With or_ without_ your help."

"Then I shall accept this as your resignation."

Mai stilled, her breath caught in her throat. She searched her employer's cold eyes for confirmation that he was joking with her, but he remained completely impassive in front of her.

He couldn't be serious, right? She really needed her job at SPR. She probably wouldn't be able to get by on any other salary, which meant getting at least two or three jobs just to cover rent. But how could she back out on Rena now that she had already taken her case?

Mai knew she would burst into tears if she started talking, so she simply remained silent. Naru didn't budge an inch, probably waiting for her to cave in.

Finally, the narcissist heaved a sigh, looking almost guilty. "You idiot. How can I fire you when you keep making that face?"

Blushing, she realized that she had probably been looking up at him with the most pitiful expression. How ridiculous. "Making what face?"

Naru leaned over her, resting against the doorframe as if he had been defeated. "You just have no clue…what sort of effect you have on me."

Mai inhaled deeply, suddenly conscious of how hard it was to do so. "I should say the same thing," she said, her voice still shaking from moments earlier. Or was it the fact that he was now standing so close?

"Oh? And what kind of effect do I have on you?" Naru asked slyly, as if he didn't already know, a small smirk forming at the end of his mouth.

"That's hardly fair, Naru," Mai objected, looking away. "You already know what kind of effect you have on me. I should be the one asking that question."

Naru suddenly turned serious, his lips thinning into a straight line. "Did you know how worried I was when I realized that you were gone?"

"Why? Because I'm your employee, right?" Mai challenged. "Because I'm your responsibility? Because if I got in an accident or hurt, you would have to pay my hospital bill? Is that why? Or was there something else that I missed?"

Naru glared at the woman beneath him. "This is why you're an idiot."

Mai steamed, infuriated. "Then why don't you enlighten me?"

"Because…" Naru took a deep breath.

The door creaked slightly, distracting both of them. Mai blushed, realizing that they had been spied on. She threw her leg back and kicked the door roughly, not all that surprised when it came into contact with something hard seconds later.

"That hurt, Jou-chan!" Bou-san whined, coming from behind the door with his nose in his hand.

"You blew our cover!" Rena accused the monk, her arms raised in frustration.

John smiled apologetically at the surprised looking brunette. "We shouldn't have been listening, anyway…"

"That didn't stop you from joining us," Rena said with a smirk, nudging the priest in the side. John blushed.

Bou-san was nearly melting under his employer's glare at that point, and therefore decided to escape the situation. "I'm sure we were interrupting something," the monk said, about to leave and pull the two others with him.

"Yes!" Mai exclaimed hotly, until she realized the implications of her hasty answer. "I mean, no!"

"So…do you two need to be alone?" Bou-san raised an eyebrow, while Rena giggled uncontrollably.

"No," Mai answered quickly.

"Yes," Naru replied in the same breath.

They glared at each other.

Naru practically witnessed the light bulb go off within the confines of Mai's thick scull. "Actually," She said suddenly, a smile tugging at her lips. She patted her boss's shoulder. "Naru has agreed to work on the case with us! Maybe we should fill him in on the details so far?"

Naru glared down at his assistant, but seemed to relent rather quickly. "Yes, but maybe we should first address your injuries, Mai?"

Mai's smile fell and she turned her cold gaze onto the smirking narcissist. He knew exactly how to hit her where it hurt. Then again, she should've known that he would get her back.

"What injuries?" Bou-san inquired. He looked pensively at Mai before crossing his arms. "Mai, why didn't you tell us?"

Rena popped her head out from behind the tall monk. "What injuries? I have a first aid kit! You should've said something sooner." The brunette blushed before being pulled into the house by the black-haired girl.

"Mai must be some sort of masochist or something," Bou-san suggested quietly so that only Naru and John would hear. The monk looked back at the narcissist. "Especially if she's still in love with you."

* * *

><p>Naru sighed as he picked up another splintered piece of wood from the floor. What was he, a janitor? He glanced around the room.<p>

While Bou-san worked towards washing the blood off of the wall, he, Mai, Rena, and John worked on picking up everything else.

The brunette hadn't spoken a word to him ever since their chat in the doorway earlier, and was clearly avoiding any type of contact with him. She clung to Rena's side as they cleaned her sister's room from the mess that was made earlier, talking quietly amongst themselves.

He'd only been on the case for a good hour, and the briefing he'd gotten from Bou-san and Mai had done nothing but make him feel uneasy. He was worried for Mai more than anything else. He knew she didn't take cases like these well, especially when it involved women her age that she could easily identify with. Cases like these only led to more heartbreak for her.

Mai leaned down next to Rena who was kneeling on the floor next to a shattered picture frame. "Rena?"

The girl didn't answer, but continued to stare at the picture with heavy-lidded eyes.

"Rena?" Mai repeated, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder in an attempt to snap her out of the trance she was in.

It took a moment, but the girl's eyes finally came back to life. She looked at Mai in surprise, as if she wasn't expecting the brunette to be right next to her. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was just wondering how you were doing?" Mai said slowly, wondering what had just happened. Rena had looked so empty all of the sudden. "Things were pretty hectic earlier. Are you okay now?"

Rena put on a big smile. "Yeah, I'm fine! I guess I should be used to this sort of thing by now." She looked down at the picture again, her smile fading slightly.

"She's beautiful," Mai complemented, referring to the picture. It was of the two of them, Rena and Akemi, sitting on a white swing in the most gorgeous sundresses just laughing away. "And you look just like her."

Rena laughed hollowly, "I always thought I was dull in comparison to her. She was the Sun and I was the Moon, you know? But I guess she didn't think of herself that way."

The sadness in the girl's voice made Mai shiver.

"I'm sure she never would have wanted to hurt you," Mai reassured as she began to pick up the shards of broken glass, setting them on top of the picture. "Depression is a serious illness…without medication and therapy it's hard to treat."

"It wasn't until she was gone that I realized how selfish suicide is," Rena shrugged. "How could she just leave me like that? I miss her so much…"

Wrapping her in a tight embrace was all that Mai could do. "Depression is selfish. It wears you down and fills you up until you don't see a way out anymore. I guess Akemi didn't her way out."

Rena suddenly stood up. "I'm sorry, I need to be alone," she said, walking out of the room hastily.

Mai frowned as she heard Rena's door shut loudly.

"That was a little abrupt," John said, his voice sounding as concerned as Mai felt.

"I wonder if I said the wrong thing?"

"Maybe it's her time of the month," the monk across the room shrugged.

Mai scoffed. "Stop being stupid, Bou-san." The brunette continued to pick up the glass shards around her. "I think she's just having a tough time with everything that's going on. I mean, her sister died two years ago and she still seems hung up over it. Isn't two years a little long to still be in mourning?"

"People who tend to have extreme reactions to death usually stay in mourning for months to years, especially if they have the mentality that they could've prevented that person from dying," Naru said quietly, standing up to throw the broken pieces of wood away. "The time she's spent grieving does not seem excessive."

Mai shivered as the temperature in the room dropped. Whether it was the presence of something supernatural or Naru's PK, she couldn't tell. She wondered if Naru was still in mourning for his brother. Did he think that he could've prevented Gene's death?

"What are you, a walking encyclopedia?" Bou-san said to lighten the mood.

John yawned, standing up to stretch. "Why don't we take a break, eh? I'll come with you to make tea, Mai."

She would be glad to get away from her currently brooding employer. "Sure!" Mai smiled, standing up to follow him.

"No, John," Naru's protest suddenly came out of nowhere.

The two froze in their spots, both looking at their boss with curious eyes.

"I'll go with her," he said, walking past Mai and out of the doorway. He looked back at her when she didn't follow. "Are you coming or not?"

Mai almost protested, but kept her mouth shut. She glared back at the priest, her eyes begging for him to do something. John just smiled at her remorsefully, mouthing his apology.

They both remained silent as they made their way to the kitchen. Mai went about making a kettle of tea and Naru sat at the island, watching her intently as she did so.

The brunette fidgeted as she waited for the water to boil. She could feel Naru's gaze boring into the back of her head so bad she thought he'd leave holes. "So…you're really not going to fire me?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"There are limits even to my cruelty," he replied softly.

"It's not really that cruel. A lot of jobs have a policy where they'll fire you for not coming in–"

"Do you _want_ me to fire you?" Naru asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"No!" Mai quickly intervened, turning around to face him. The brunette almost jumped when she realized that he was no longer sitting across the room, but was slowly approaching her. She quickly hid her panicked expression. "I mean…I was just really convinced that you would. Why didn't you…?"

"'Why?'" Naru parroted. "You really don't realize how important you are to SPR, do you?"

Had he just complimented her? Mai swallowed, her mouth suddenly rather dry. "You mean, it's not because you pity me?"

"I don't pity you," he said, his tone dangerously close to sounding angry.

"You realize how much you pay me, right?" Mai argued. "No normal secretary or assistant gets paid that much. I thought…it was because you pitied me. Because I was an orphan living alone with no one to help me."

"It's not that I pity you, Mai. And it's not that you remind me of Gene or that I know you'd have to work three jobs in order to pay your bills and attend school," he said firmly, pinning her against the kitchen counter. "You're one of SPR's most valuable members."

Mai smiled. "Are you sure it's not because you can't live without my tea?"

"I'm sure."

"So you're not denying it?"

"No comment."

The brunette blushed bright crimson. "I'm holding you to that, then," she threatened cheekily.

Naru rolled his eyes. "Don't let your ego inflate too much."

"Says the narcissist," Mai retorted with a smirk.

Before she could even realize what was happening, Naru's lips were flush against her own.

* * *

><p>Sorry it took so long, but I finally updated! I've already got a page of the next chapter written, but I'm starting school tomorrow and I'm definitely going to be busier than I was last semester. I'll try to write as frequently as possible, I promise!<p> 


	42. File 9: The Secret Garden :: 4

Behind Closed Doors

File 9: The Secret Garden

* * *

><p>She could still feel the soft, hesitant pressure against her lips. Mai sighed for the third time since she had walked dazedly into the base and plopped into the chair nearest to the window.<p>

What just happened? Was she having a dream? Had she fainted, perhaps?

"Mai, are you okay? You've been staring into space for the past few minutes," Bou-san inquired, his brows furrowed in concern for the girl he looked to as a younger sister.

The brunette took a minute to register what the monk was saying, looking over at him in surprise. Her cheeks tinted red at her noticeable spacey-ness. "Oh, I'm fine! It's nothing! Speaking of which, where's John?" She asked upon noticing his absence, using this to change the subject.

"He went to go check on Rena," Bou-san said slowly, frowning. "Mai, are you sure you're okay? You look flushed. You don't have a fever do you?"

"I'm_ fine_," she stressed, frustrated that the monk wouldn't drop the question. She glanced up at Naru, who sat across the room from her, only to realize that he had been staring straight at her. Reddening even further, Mai took a deep breath. "I think its just super hot in here. I'm going to open this window."

Bou-san looked from Naru, sipping his tea in absolute silence, to the younger girl with an expression of doubt. He raised his eyebrow upon glancing at Mai.

She saw his silent question – 'what the hell happened in the kitchen?' – but Mai was not about to divulge that information. She answered his look with a glare, retreating within herself again as she unlocked the window and slid it open halfway.

She sighed nervously, taking notice of her shaking hands.

_Mai tensed as Naru kissed her, but the hand on the small of her back pushing her closer to him seemed to do a good job of calming her._

_The kettle suddenly whistled, startling Mai. She pushed him away almost immediately, although she had no intentions of doing so. Naru's expression looked almost hurt, but he quickly recovered and backed up to allow her some space._

_She hadn't meant to hurt him, but everything in her brain was so muddled from the kiss that she couldn't make sense of anything. Her mouth opened to say something, but the only thing that came out was a quiet, "I'm sorry."_

The whole situation was even more embarrassing now that she looked back on it. Naru had finally kissed her! He had finally gotten passed his ego long enough to give her a second look, and even kiss her, and what did she do? She ruined it.

What if he never even talked to her again? God, she was such an idiot.

For now, she needed to focus on something else. But thinking about the case only seemed to make Mai even more upset. They had gotten absolutely nowhere with her dream or Yasuhara's research.

A dead end.

John entered the base quietly, sitting next to Bou-san and grabbing a cup of tea.

"How's Rena?" she heard the monk ask in a hushed voice.

John sighed heavily, resembling exactly what the brunette had been doing for the past few minutes. "It's not good, I'll tell you that much. She says she's fine, but I can hear her crying and she absolutely refuses to open the door. I'm worried…"

"She probably just needs time to cool down. Once she gets a good night's rest, she'll feel better," Mai said, though it sounded more as if she were trying to convince herself rather than the others.

John nodded hesitantly. "On that note, you might have to sleep in the base tonight, Mai."

She simply hummed in response, not caring either way. She was too busy trying to piece together this confusing case.

The heat in her cheeks momentarily reminded of her vision the night before. She leaned against the window frame and placed her cool hands on her face as she thought it over.

Usually attics were much hotter than basements, right? But this house had neither of the two, or so specified the blueprints that they had acquired from Rena. They had done all of their measurements and nothing had seemed off, either.

Unless…

Mai thought back to a book she had recently read about a young girl that had been kidnapped and held captive for the better part of her life by some bizarre couple. They hadn't kept her in the house, but in some sort of shack hidden behind the fence of their backyard.

What if the two victims were in the same situation? Maybe there was something that they had yet to find…something that wasn't attached to the house?

She remembered seeing a shed in the back yard. It might be worth taking a look at in the morning when there was more light. She would have to bring it up over breakfast.

* * *

><p>Mai bit her lip, unsure of what to do next. Unable to go into Rena's room since the door was still locked, she showered in the men's bathroom and barrowed an oversized nightshirt and pair of boxers from Bou-san.<p>

She entered the base with a pillow and a blanket, her hair still wet as she set her bed up on the couch. Bou-san and John had already retired for the night, so she was left alone in the base with Naru.

Did he _ever_ sleep?

Though Mai felt slightly nervous to be in the same room as her boss after a day of very interesting circumstances, it seemed that his mind was on a completely different subject. Because while it originally looked like Naru had been studying the monitor screens, it was beginning to look like he was staring off into space. Mai cocked her head in question before calling out to him quietly.

"What's up, Naru?" she inquired.

He glanced over at her slowly, taking in her appearance before switching his gaze back over to the motionless monitors. "There's something off about this case."

His response actually shocked Mai into silence for the next few minutes. Naru always did his things his way; he was tight-lipped about the case, planning on what to do without telling anyone involved. And then in the end he would save the day and all would be well. Why was he suddenly divulging his opinions to her?

Not that she hadn't just asked him what he was thinking about…

Mai shook her head, plopping down next to him in an empty chair. "What's off about it?" she questioned.

The twinkle in his eye caught Mai off guard, as well as his next question. "Were those two girls in your vision the only ones that he killed?"

"Yeah," the brunette said naturally, but hesitated a moment later, not sure as to why she responded that way in the first place. She'd had only one vision so far, and it had not given her enough information to supply him with an answer. "I mean, I guess we can't really be sure…"

"Yet you answered yes so quickly," he said evenly, a smirk forming on his face.

Because she honestly had no idea why she'd responded like that, Mai shrugged. "It was just in my mind. It didn't even occur to me that he might've had other victims."

"It's just speculation…" Naru paused thoughtfully, crossing his arms as he examined his assistant's pensive face, "but I think you might be on to something."

He said it as if she would suddenly understand everything, but Mai simply continued to stare at her boss in confusion. "On to what? I just said I don't know for sure…"

"That's exactly why I think you're on to something," he explained. "The dream you had last night didn't give you much more information than what you saw. So the fact that you answered my question with such conviction and so quickly…I believe it was your intuition talking, Mai."

"I thought my intuition wasn't trustworthy enough for you?" Mai looked highly doubtful. "Even if those two girls really _were_ his only victims, what's so weird about that?"

"The question is why these two girls were 'chosen' to become his victims," Naru said, eyeing a stray piece of hair that had stuck to Mai's forehead in the process of her getting dressed. "Serial killers are defined as having more than three victims in the timespan of a month, having cool-off periods in between each; so we wouldn't be able to call him that if he only had two."

"The fact that you know this information really disturbs me," Mai said with a shake of her head.

Naru nearly rolled his eyes, but settled for glaring at his assistant instead. "If he wasn't a serial killer, it could be he had a more emotional connection with both of the girls."

"So you think he might've killed them out of vengeance or something?" Mai inquired, crossing her arms as she thought.

"There's no way to tell," Naru said, content with her understanding. "I think you've gotten smarter, Mai."

"I've always been this smart, you jerk," she debated with a pout.

He repressed the urge to reach out for the stray hair on her forehead and quickly tuck it behind her ear. The narcissist's face became darker as he regarded the baggy t-shirt she had been provided with, and even more so as he noticed the boxers she was in.

"Oh, these are from Bou-san," the brunette said when she saw him examine the clothes, pulling nervously at the hem of said shirt.

"I never asked whose they were," he said, giving her a haughty expression that said he didn't care.

Mai sighed. "It never ceases to amaze me how rude you are," she retorted afterwards, crossing her arms.

He continued to examine his assistant, unable to look away. It amazed him sometimes how much of a distraction she was. Naru was brilliant at what he did and always stuck to the book; and yet, where Mai was concerned, all of that was thrown out of the window.

The brunette inclined her head. "Naru? Is there something on my face?"

Quickly snapping out of his trance, Naru swiveled back around to face the wall of monitors. "Your stupidity."

Mai huffed in disappointment, realizing he had already transformed back into her relentless, narcissistic boss.

* * *

><p><em>She must've been dreaming because the first thing she realized was that she couldn't breathe; the water that she was submerged in would not allow her too.<em>

_She quickly clawed at the source that was holding her down: a single, calloused hand that was tangled into her long hair. She dug her nails into his skin as hard as she could and writhed under the opposition, the loss of oxygen making her desperate. She couldn't hold her breath any longer and took a painful gulp of water._

_There was a sharp pain at the back of her head as she was suddenly pulled up and out of the water. Another hand was on her arm, holding her forward as she violently coughed out the liquid that had invaded her lungs._

"_Do you think I'm stupid?" the man behind her ground out._

_She shook her head. There were tears streaming down her face now, mixing with the water from her submergence just seconds ago._

"_Please, no…" she whimpered, hearing a voice other than her own. "No more."_

_The stranger's grip only tightened in response. He leaned close, his hot breath caressing the damp skin of her neck. _

"_I think maybe we should go for another round?" he said, as if he were generous enough to be giving her a choice in the matter._

_A shiver ran up her spine and a hysterical sob escaped her mouth. "Please, why are you doing this? Let me g–"_

_The hand that had previously been tangled in her hair was now at her exposed throat, fingering feather-light touches over her skin. It had startled the words right out of her._

"_You think you can just leave me? Well, I'll show you what it feels like to be completely and utterly alone, Tamaki."_

_Blackness._

* * *

><p>Mai wheezed upon awakening, her chest pumping with her gasping, labored breaths. The tears were real and so was the burning pain on her scalp was real. She was surprised she wasn't soaked from head to toe in water.<p>

But as much as that dream made her fear falling asleep once more, the cold hand across her forehead soothed her. Her eyelids fell immediately in their exhaustion, almost fast enough to miss the figure leaning over her.

The hand traveled from her forehead to her flushed cheek, a thumb stroking her temple methodically. Just before the comforting hand lulled her into a dreamless sleep, Mai called out weakly, surprised the name even left her lips. "Naru?"

"Shh," his voice whispered in the darkness, "just sleep."

* * *

><p>Mai was brought back to reality with the smell of bacon. So it was morning already…<p>

Sure enough the suns rays were streaming through the open window. She glanced around the room searching for Naru before realizing that he was probably already downstairs eating breakfast.

It took a minute, but Mai eventually sat up from the couch. Her clothes, or rather Bou-san's, were still pretty damp from the dream she'd had so she stood and made her way down the hall to Rena's room.

The door was slightly ajar and Mai took a risk of popping her head in to see if she was still sulking. After noting that their host was absent from the room, she snatched a shirt and some jeans before changing in the bathroom.

She leaned against the sink, gazing at herself in the mirror. Her hair was ratty and probably knotted beyond repair. Her face was paler than normal and she had increasingly dark bags under her eyes. Not happy with what she saw, the brunette frowned at her reflection and gave her face a quick wash.

Afterwards, she ambled lazily downstairs. She really needed to let her muscles relax; these dreams were beginning to take toll on her body.

"Morning," she mumbled as she entered the kitchen, filling a kettle with water immediately and putting it on the nearest burner.

Naru sat closest to her at the breakfast table, looking up at her with intense blue eyes that almost seemed concerned. She looked away, fighting the blush that rose on her cheeks and wondered if he had been the one to comfort her last night.

"Yeesh," Bou-san said at her appearance. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"You mean the wrong side of the couch," Mai retorted without thinking. After seeing Rena's face she quickly corrected herself. "Not that I minded sleeping on the couch or anything! It's actually quite comfortable."

Rena looked tired. Her swollen eyes and dark bags were even slightly worse than Mai's, though no one dared say anything about them. Rena quickly plastered an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry for yesterday, I was overreacting. You have every right to be mad with me Mai. I offered to share my room, but then kicked you out."

"No," Mai objected, waving her hand in refusal. "Please don't be sorry. You needed your space, I can respect that."

Rena took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you."

"Who finally convinced you to come down?" Mai inquired, slyly glancing over to the blond priest sitting across from Rena at the breakfast table. The smirk wouldn't stay off of her face.

"Oh," the girl bit her lip, a blush spreading across her face. "John offered to make breakfast, so…"

"I didn't know you knew how to cook, John," Mai said, her hands resting on her hips.

The blond blushed, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Well, it's hard for people who lives by themselves, so I learned a while ago," he said.

"Mmhmm," Mai hummed, turning around as the kettle whistled. She poured everyone a cup of tea before handing them out, not even bothering to ask who wanted on and who didn't.

When it came to giving Naru his cup, she almost faltered when he reached for her hand instead of the tea. "Take these," he said, replacing the teacup that had previously been in her hands with two small pills. "You must be sore from last night."

Bou-san actually spit out his tea at Naru's words, startling everyone else with inappropriate images of the pair. John blushed, coving his face in shock. Rena's mouth simply hung open. A hot blush rose throughout Mai's face and her mind went completely blank. What on earth was he talking about?

Naru glared at the bassist that had started it all before looking back at his red-faced assistant. "Your dream last night," he said simply.

"Oh." Mai blushed even harder in realization of what he was saying. What _else_ could he have been talking about? The brunette glared at the monk, though he was too busy dying in the corner to notice. "Get your head out of the gutter!" she exclaimed, throwing the pills down her throat before taking a swig of tea to wash them down. She needed to get her head out of the gutter too. "Stupid monk."

"Speaking of your dream," said John, more sober now that he knew nothing inappropriate had happened in the room across from his own throughout the night, "what was it about this time?"

Mai sighed, joining them at the table. Even just the memory of the dream made her tired. She rested her head on her hand before she began regaling the vision. "I was being tortured, I think. All I remember was that my head was being held underwater by this guy, whom – I'm assuming – is the same guy that kidnapped the two girls from my previous dream."

Bou-san, having finally regained his composure, frowned. "So who were you in the dream?"

Mai shrugged. "I don't know–" She paused, scenes from the dream suddenly flooding back to the forefront of her mind. "Oh! Her name was Tamaki! The girl whose body I was in – her name was Tamaki."

Naru's eyebrow rose.

"I remember at the very end of the dream, the guy was saying that he would teach her a lesson for leaving him or something…and he said her name," she nodded.

"So was he close to her?" Bou-san inquired. "Does that mean he wasn't a serial killer?"

John frowned into his cup of tea, glancing around the room at his colleagues. "Sounds like he was more of a stalker to me…"

Mai's eyes went wide. John's words had struck a chord in her for some reason.

She suddenly remembered about the shed in the backyard. Now would be the perfect time to mention it. "How about we get Yasuhara on the search for information about this Tamaki person? Meanwhile, I have some ideas of what might've happened to their bodies."

* * *

><p>Sorry, it's been a while guys. I'm really feeling the struggle right now. Anyway, I'm glad you guys liked the kiss, and there will be more to come!<p> 


	43. File 9: The Secret Garden :: 5

Behind Closed Doors

File 9: The Secret Garden

* * *

><p>Mai huffed, folding her arms across her chest.<p>

When Mai had voiced her idea about the shed, Rena quickly shot it down. She said that, although it had been a part of the property before her family bought it, the shed was unused for the most part. Mai had insisted, even to simply look for clues, but Rena was right. The shed was threadbare and almost completely empty, save for some shovels, a lawnmower, and planks of unused wood.

Mai was about ready to throw her hands up in the air and give up. They were getting literally nowhere in this case. Or maybe it was just that she felt that it was dragging on?

"Sorry, guys," Mai apologized, taking a seat atop the lawnmower while she watched Bou-san jump up and down to test the old wooden floorboards of the small shed. "I thought I was on to something."

Rena smiled at the girl, patting her shoulder. "It's alright."

"Well, we've searched every nook and cranny of this place and haven't found anything," Bou-san concluded once his jumping had finally ceased. "Maybe we should call and check up to see how Shonen is doing in his research?"

Mai nodded, digging her phone out of her pocket, before dialing the college student's number. She quickly clicked the speakerphone button as it rang.

Yasuhara picked up on the third ring with a cheery greeting.

"_Hello, beautiful! And to what do I owe this wonderful phone call?_" he inquired, quite enthusiastically.

"Hello, Yasuhara," Mai said, a smile tugging at her lips. He was definitely annoying at times, but there was something in his voice that had a way of cheering her up. "We're calling to check up on what sort of information you found on this Tamaki person."

The boy let out an audible sigh. "_Even though it was pretty hard to find with just a first name, I did get something._"

"Okay," Mai said, pausing to let him continue.

"_I searched for missing person reports within a 5-mile radius of your location and came up with only one Tamaki. Her name was Tamaki Ninomiya and she was 17 at the time she went missing. She went missing in November of 1996, which matches up with the 5-year period that the house was abandoned, by the way. There were multiple search parties and her parents did everything they could to find her, but nothing ever turned up, nor was her body ever found._"

There was a moment of contemplative silence within the dusty shed. Mai shook her head, swallowing hard.

"_There was something else, too. There was outrage when she went missing. Apparently, she had complained about being stalked, but when the family went to the police about it they claimed there was nothing they could do for her. It was a week later that she disappeared. There's a whole article on it._"

Mai looked at John, who was standing at the other of the shed in silence, with wide eyes. He had been right; the man from her dream was a stalker. "Thanks, Yasuhara. Could you send me that article?"

"_Sure thing, doll_," the boy said, his somber tone turning chipper once more. "_I'll let you know what else I can find. Talk to you later!_"

It was strange that upon hearing the horrible story Mai felt some relief. At least they now had something to go off of instead of being forced to continue making guesses in the dark. "Okay, so we now have the identity of one of our spirits," Mai said, suddenly feeling invigorated.

The brunette hopped off of the lawnmower, only to knock over the shovels that were leaning against it. Mai gasped as she saw it come towards her and immediately flinched, closing here eyes and awaiting the impact, but all she heard was a clatter against the floor. She opened her eyes to see Naru standing about half a foot away from her, holding one of the shovels an inch or so away from her face.

He was frowning. "You–"

She knew what was coming next: a lecture on being more careful. But Naru's speech simply stopped. When she finally looked up at him – instead of her shoes in embarrassment – Mai noticed that he looked like he had been struck in the face. She frowned to match his. "Naru?"

He suddenly shook his head, placing the shovel in its rightful place before being the first one out of the shed doors.

Bou-san and Rena immediately turned to her.

"What on earth is going on between you two?" Bou-san asked first, placing each of his hands on either side of the brunettes face and squishing her cheeks beneath them. "I _need _to know."

Rena nodded vigorously. "Did something happen?"

Mai's mind flashed back to their kiss in the kitchen, but she managed to suppress her furious blush before pushing the monk's hands away from her face. "Nothing happened!"

Besides, with her luck she had likely ruined any chances of ever being with Naru.

"I don't know," Bou-san continued, his voice laced with suspicion. "If nothing happened then why do you sound so defensive?"

Mai simply ignored his question and waved him away as if he were an annoying fly before exiting the shed as well. She was more than ready to go back inside when a sudden wave of dread quickly swept over her. She could almost feel her face draining of its color.

She paused, her feet unmoving against the grass.

This stupid necklace that Naru had given must've been broken or something…Mai's hand trembled as she reflexively reached for the stone that hung around her neck. If the feelings got this bad with the necklace on, then she did not want to feel them with her necklace off.

But what was causing it? Mai realized that the closer she got to the house, the closer she got to the garden. Was that where it was concentrated? Mai wondered, biting her lip.

Although they called it a garden, it was more of a small, brick patio with a lone bench and pergola overtop, covered in various different vines. There were flowers surrounding the outside area, but that was as much 'garden' as it got.

When she neared the garden, she was surprised to see Naru kneeling on the ground, his hand splayed out on the discolored bricks. "Did you feel it too?" she asked in surprise.

He looked at her, his brow quirking slightly in surprise. "Feel what?"

Mai frowned. So Naru hadn't felt the same surge of dread as she had? "I sensed this overwhelming anxiety. It was coming from the garden…that's not the reason you're over here too?"

As if they were to blame, Naru glared down at the bricks beneath his hand. "No, I…those shovels that fell earlier…"

That was all he needed to say before Mai understood. "You used psychometry on them?" she inquired, her heart leaping into her throat.

"It's not something I just flip on and off, Mai," he said, suddenly sounding more frustrated with his assistant.

She frowned. "I thought Lin had taught you how to control it?"

"He did, for the most part. It was my fault; I was distracted…"

Mai remembered the almost panicked anger across his face as he held his shovel inches away from her. Was he distracted…by _her_?

Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she asked quickly, "What did you see?"

"Someone was covering something up with dirt. I'm not sure what it was…but whatever it was, he started putting bricks on top of it," he said. "I'm sure this is it."

"Mai, Naru, what are you two doing over here?" Bou-san asked as he, John, and Rena walked over from the shed.

"You guys," Mai waved them over, "there's something under the garden!"

"Something…" Rena talked slowly, not quite sure she understood, "like, what?"

Mai paused, looking over at Naru. She wasn't sure how to answer the girl's question. "Um, we're not sure yet," the brunette said vaguely, "but we can find out."

"Rena, this is your family's garden," said John quietly as he placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You decided what we do."

Rena looked conflicted, but eventually nodded. "Lets go get those shovels."

Naru nodded, beginning to peel the patio away brick by brick. Mai and Bou-san followed suit, pulling bricks up as fast as they could before throwing them to the side. They were almost done when Rena and John returned with three shovels.

Mai and Naru stood off to the side, watching the others work.

"Um…Bou-san can you find your own area to dig? I was in this spot before you," Rena started, shoving the monk's shovel out of the way.

Bou-san grinned. "You know what they say; age before beauty."

"Can't you two stop fighting?" John asked with a defeated sigh.

"Ugh! He – You just got dirt on me!"

"Well if you weren't all up in my space–"

Mai couldn't help but let the small smile appear on her lips. After a few minutes of bickering and digging, it suddenly felt as if they had been doing so for hours.

The brunette became antsy, looking at her boss nervously. "Maybe there really is nothing here…?" she suggested, the hem of her shirt becoming wrinkled as her hands twisted it. Seconds later someone's shovel scraped noisily against something hidden beneath the moist soil.

"Wow." Bou-san straightened himself to catch his breath. He gave Mai look of utter disbelief. "You were actually right?"

The brunette looked shocked as well, but eventually shot the monk a nasty glare, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We still don't know what it is," John pointed out helpfully, kneeling on the ground to push some of the dirt out of the way. "But it feels like wood."

"You think it's a coffin?" Bou-san inquired incredulously, following the priest's example.

Mai frowned, watching Rena blanche at the monk's words. The horrible feeling she had was still eating away at the brunette and part of her wished that they would never uncover what was beneath the garden.

It took a full ten minutes for them to expose the large wooden panel that had been sitting underneath the small gazebo.

"It's a door?" Mai said after seeing a rusted handle sticking out of the dirt.

"Wait a second," Bou-san commanded, standing up. "I'll go find a flashlight and wash my hands off."

"I'll come with you," John offered, he and Rena following after him.

Why did they always do this to her? And by 'this' she meant leave her alone with Naru.

She glanced nervously over at her boss. Once the others were inside, she turned to Naru and bit her lip. "Thanks for last night."

Naru kept the straightest face. "What are you talking about?"

Mai shook her head, blushing the shade of Ayako's hair. She looked down at her shoes. "N-Never mind. I thought you..." She took a deep shuttering breath, glancing back at the house and mentally pleading with Bou-san and John to come out faster. "It must've been a dream or something," Mai mumbled. Of course Naru wouldn't actually have...

Naru was suddenly standing, frowning at her. "Of my brother?" he said, though it was more of a statement than a question.

Mai would not let herself mistake one for the other ever again; she knew it had been Naru, not Gene. Not only was Naru jumping to conclusions, but he still thought that she was in love with Gene. The thought alone was enough to make Mai fall to the ground in exhaustion.

"Stop doing that!" Mai demanded, her hands just itching to throw something at her boss. "Stop making everything about your brother! This is not about him!"

"Are we going to pretend that nothing happened?" Naru suddenly asked, his voice still sounding angry. He took a step closer.

Although Mai hadn't expected to hear Naru suddenly change to another topic, she immediately knew what he was referring to. She was rendered completely speechless, her mouth falling open. An even hotter blush lit her cheeks. "Wha..."

Naru clicked his tongue, looking away. "Never mind. I should never have done it, anyway," he said.

It was a mistake.

A _mistake_.

Mai's throat closed up and she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. Her hands balled into fists at her sides. "You are such an ass! One second you're kissing me and the next you're taking it back? You can't just take that back!" she exclaimed, wiping furiously at her eyes.

"Well it didn't exactly seem like it was reciprocated," he said bluntly, as if he didn't care that she looked heartbroken, but Mai could tell that his voice had grown softer.

"You idiot! That's because I…I was scared, Naru," she said next, without thinking. Although she wanted to stop right there, she continued because she knew Naru would get an answer out of her one way or another. "I thought you didn't like me. And then you…and now I don't know _what_ to think! I'm so confused by everything you do."

"I thought you were still in love with my brother."

"No," Mai shook her head vigorously, "I was _never_ in love with your brother."

When he looked unconvinced Mai took a deep breath. "I fell in love with the idiot scientist who used his PK to perform magic tricks in order to cheer me up after we fell into a well; who also protected me from a falling ceiling; who constantly makes fun of me and asks for tea too often; who cares for his team, though he refuses to show it. I fell in love with a stupid, narcissistic, overly analytical, tea-obsessed, perfectionist. Because no matter how many times Gene smiled at me or gave me advice, he isn't _you_."

Naru couldn't keep the smirk off of his face, causing Mai to cover her face in embarrassment.

"I can't believe I just said all of that.

The narcissist's usually hard gaze had softened. He was unsure of what he was supposed to do. He supposed that the misunderstanding was somewhat his fault as well, so he settled for doing what his father always did whenever his mother was upset.

Mai inhaled sharply when she felt his touch on her elbows. She looked up at him, her face still slightly red.

He leaned forward, closing the gap between them in another kiss; this time Mai didn't pull away.

"Hey, sorry it took so long to find the–" Bou-san stopped immediately as he walked out on the scene, John and Rena running into his back as he did so. The monk dropped the two flashlights that he was holding, not even flinching as they hit the ground. John looked above the bassist's broad shoulders, his mouth dropping open at the sight as well.

Naru straightened and quickly glared at the monk, his eyes just daring him to say something smart.

"–flashlights!" Bou-san finished awkwardly, leaning down to pick them up. By the time he had stood back up, Naru had put a good distance between himself and his flushed brunette assistant.

Turning around excitedly in an attempt to hide her obvious embarrassment, Mai ran over to Bou-san and snatched both of the flashlights from his hands. "You guys are so slow!"

"Right," the monk said slowly, not quite sure what had just happened as he followed Mai to the garden.

She knelt down and reached for the rusted handle when the feeling of utter dread, which had completely disappeared in Naru's close proximity earlier, settled once again in the pit of her stomach.

John, no longer shaken up from seeing Mai and Naru kissing five seconds prior, noticed her hesitation and frowned. "What's wrong, Mai?"

The brunette swallowed, "I don't know. I have a bad feeling about this."

Bou-san quickly interjected. "Why don't you leave this to me?"

Unable to do anything other than nod in agreement, Mai took a step back as she watched the monk struggle to lift the wooden door.

"Damn, it's stuck," he cursed, leaning back so that he could make use of his body weight.

"Eh? I'll help too," John offered, getting next to the monk and imitating his stance.

"How about on three?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, one…two…th–"

Both of the men flew back onto the ground as the door finally gave way, and while Mai normally would've been laughing at the colorful curses coming from the monk's mouth, she was staring into the dark abyss with fearful eyes. She did_ not _want to go down there.

Naru turned on his flashlight, glancing over towards his assistant. "You don't have to come down if you don't want to," he said, as if he had just read her mind.

She needed to get over herself quickly, Mai decided. This was _her _case, not Naru's. "I'm going," she said with her head held high and her eyes shining with determination, though her trembling voice betrayed her resolve.

Her boss gave her a long hard look before beginning down the stairs of the small bunker. Mai followed closely behind, ignoring the protests from Bou-san and John to wait for them.

Naru shone his flashlight from one side of the bunker to the other. It was a narrow space with two cots, one above the other, off to the right. Boxes with outdated provisions lay beneath the sad excuses for beds, forgotten after whatever incident had left the shelter hidden under a small garden. There was another box, a crate, over in the farthest reaches of the bunker as well.

The smell of the place was rancid and enough to make Mai gag. She quickly covered her mouth and nose with the collar of her shirt in order to block out the smell. Rena was over in the corner about to pull a Masako.

They quickly located the switch that soon illuminated the shelter with a dim, flickering light, allowing the five of them to put away their flashlights.

"What is this place?" Mai inquired, looking nervously around the sparsely decorated space.

"Looks like a bomb shelter," Bou-san suggested, his face also twisted in disgust at the horrid smell.

"It's a private air-raid shelter, probably built some time in the early 40's," Naru explained.

All three of his employees looked at him in confusion, waiting for him to divulge his knowledge further. How did he know literally everything? He simply rolled his eyes. "I grew up in England. I know a good deal about bomb shelters."

John nodded. "So it would make sense that it wasn't in the blueprints nor in any of the research that Yasuhara pulled up, right? This shelter was probably built in the 40's while the house was built in the 70's. The builders of the house might not have even known about it."

"Right, well, it's a good thing we found this place, I guess," Bou-san said, clapping his hands, "but I don't know how much longer I can handle the smell."

"Bou-san's right," Mai agreed immediately from under her shirt, silently thanking the heavens that someone had said it. She felt as it she were about to empty her lunch everywhere, and she could tell that Rena was not feeling well either.

Naru nodded, permissing everyone to exit (as if this were his case, dammit).

Rena grabbed Mai's hand, quickly pulling her out of the bomb shelter. And while the feeling of dread in the pit of Mai's stomach lessened upon her exit, it certainly lingered.

* * *

><p>AN: What have I done?<p> 


End file.
